Satoshi Saida

Satoshi Saida (斎田 悟司, Saida Satoshi, born March 26, 1972 in Yokkaichi, Mie) is a Japanese pioneering wheelchair tennis player and 2004 Summer Paralympics gold medalist (Men's doubles with Shingo Kunieda).

Satoshi Saida
斎田 悟司
Country (sports) Japan
ResidenceMie Preti, Japan
Born (1972-03-26) March 26, 1972
Kashiwa City, Japan
PlaysRight Handed
Singles
Career record486–163
Highest rankingNo.3 (11 August 2003)
Current rankingNo.23 (18 September 2017)
Doubles
Career record446–99
Highest rankingNo.1 (18 November 2002)
Current rankingNo.28 (18 September 2017)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian OpenW (2008)
WimbledonW (2006)
US OpenW (2007)
Other doubles tournaments
Masters DoublesW (2003, 2004)
Paralympic Games Gold Medal (2004)
Bronze Medal (2008, 2016)

Saida, a big baseball enthusiast in his childhood, lost his left leg because of illness. At first, he used to play wheelchair basketball with his friends. At the age of fourteen, he had an opportunity to get to know wheelchair tennis with his basketball teammates at a seminar which took place in his hometown, and started this sport.

As a competitor, his first Paralympics was the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, USA. At the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, Australia, he got the eighth place. With Shingo Kunieda, he participated in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece, and won the men's doubles event. The two competed together again at the 2008 Beijing Games and took bronze in the doubles event.[1]

References
  1. "Men's Doubles – Open Bronze Medal Match" (PDF). The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-25.


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