tennis circles, Vergeer has single-handedly redefined what tennis excellence can be. You see, Vergeer has not lost a singles match since 2003 — yes, that’s nearly 400 matches in a row without a defeat.

On top of that, Vergeer has been ranked No. 1 in her sport since 1999, during which time she’s won three straight Paralympic gold medals in women’s singles (2000, 2004, and 2008). Her career singles record is a staggering 602-25, good for a winning percentage of 96 percent. (Roger Federer? A mere 81 percent.) And she recently won her record ninth US Open title in St. Louis.

Vergeer has been in a wheelchair since she was eight years old, and she was also an accomplished wheelchair basketball player for the Dutch national team before she decided to concentrate full-time on tennis.

“Sports were part of what I had to go through for rehab, and so it became an escape in the beginning — something I could have fun with,” Vergeer told VanityFair.com recently. Indeed, her ground game is remarkably quick, with even her flat shots generating much power. But watching Vergeer when she rotates the wheelchair into her powerful forehand, it’s easy to see why no one in her sport has knocked her off in so long. (On the side, Vergeer has also recently discovered Twitter, mixing in both Dutch and English updates.)

Here are some highlights from Vergeer’s gold medal win in Beijing two years back:

For someone who’s been called the “most famous disabled sportsperson in Holland,” seven years of undefeated play means that “winning” has become just another day on the court. And considering that she just turned 29, she seemingly has many more tournament victories ahead of her.

Photo: AP Photo/ Elizabeth Dalziel

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See Also:

• By Losing Weight, Tennis Pro Quickly Gains Ground
• Head YouTek Extreme Pro Tennis Racket
• A Virtual Tennis Clinic Starring Venus, From Afar
• Wimbledon Marathon Ranks Among Sports' Finest
• Perceptual Bias Clouds Tennis Refs' Calls

Authors: Erik Malinowski

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