Peter Norfolk
Encyclopedia
Peter Robert Norfolk OBE
(born 13 December 1960) is a British
wheelchair tennis
player.
Norfolk suffered a motorbike accident at the age of 19, and was left paraplegic. He subsequently became a Paralympian
, and was the first person ever to win a Paralympic medal for Britain in tennis when he took gold in the quads singles at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
in Athens
. He represented Great Britain
again at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
in Beijing
, winning gold in the singles event and bronze in doubles with Jamie Burdekin.
Norfolk has won a total of thirteen Super Series titles in all.
As of January 2011, he is ranked second in singles, behind David Wagner of the United States
.
Already a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), Norfolk was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 13 December 1960) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
wheelchair tennis
Wheelchair Tennis
Wheelchair tennis is one of the forms of tennis adapted for those who have disabilities in their lower bodies. The size of courts, balls, and rackets are same, but there are two major differences from pedestrian tennis; they use specially designed wheelchairs and the ball may bounce up to two times...
player.
Norfolk suffered a motorbike accident at the age of 19, and was left paraplegic. He subsequently became a Paralympian
Paralympian
A Paralympian is an athlete who has participated in the Paralympic Games.A Paralympic athlete has a physical disability. The disability can be amputation, spinal cord injuries, visual impairment or cerebral palsy. An exception is the sighted guides for athletes with a visual impairment...
, and was the first person ever to win a Paralympic medal for Britain in tennis when he took gold in the quads singles at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. He represented Great Britain
Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
Great Britain competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Great Britain sent a delegation of around 400, of which 212 were athletes, to compete in eighteen sports at the Games...
again at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, winning gold in the singles event and bronze in doubles with Jamie Burdekin.
Norfolk has won a total of thirteen Super Series titles in all.
As of January 2011, he is ranked second in singles, behind David Wagner of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Already a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), Norfolk was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.
Singles
- 2006 French Open2006 French OpenThe 2006 French Open was held in Paris, France from May 28 to June 11, 2006. Both defending champions, Rafael Nadal and Justine Henin-Hardenne, retained their titles. It is one of the four tennis Grand Slams. This edition made history as it became the first Grand Slam tournament to start on a...
- 2008 Australian Open
- 2009 Australian Open
- 2010 Australian Open2010 Australian Open – Wheelchair Quad SinglesPeter Norfolk defended his 2009 title with a 6–2, 7–6 win over David Wagner in the final.-Final:-Round Robin:Standings are determined by: 1) Number of wins; 2) Number of matches; 3) In two-players-ties, head-to-head records; 4) In three-players-ties, percentage of sets won, or of games...