Canadian Rob Shaw saw his Roland-Garros campaign come to an end in the semi-finals Friday, as he and David Wagner lost to Andy Laphorne and Guy Sasson 6-2, 3-6, 10-2 in Quad Wheelchair doubles.
In a competitive matchup, Laphorne of Great Britain and Sasson of Israel used their experience in the latter stages to book a spot in the finals in Paris.
In the opening set, Laphorne and Sasson applied early scoreboard pressure, securing a break of serve for an early 3-1 lead.
The pair closed by winning three consecutive games, breaking again to capture the first set 6-2 in 32 minutes.
Shaw and Wagner raised their level in the second set to get some momentum on their side.
After three consecutive service holds, the Canadian-American tandem broke serve for the first time, rallying from a 40-0 deficit to go ahead 3-1.
Photo – French Open
A second break of serve gave the pair an insurmountable 5-1 advantage. Shaw and Wagner surrendered back one break before closing out the set 6-3 in 50 minutes.
However, in the super match tie-break, the no. 2 seeds showed their poise and class.
Laphorne and Sasson won eight consecutive points to seize control, before closing proceedings with an ace to advance to the finals. Laphorne of Great Britain will now aim for his 16th career Grand Slam title in doubles and third career French Open crown.
Israeli native Sasson will compete in both the singles and doubles final in Paris.
Meanwhile, Shaw also lost in Quad singles to the world no. 1 Niels Vilk in the first round, 6-3, 6-3.
The Canadian, a three-time Grand Slam finalist in doubles, now sets his sights on the Paralympic Games this summer in Paris – Shaw has already secured a qualification for the event.
