The NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters is a season-ending event hosted by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) since its inception in 1994. This tournament features the top eight players of the year in the men’s, women’s, and quad categories, all vying for the pinnacle title of the season.

For wheelchair tennis players, this is a truly special event, comparable to the Paralympics or the Grand Slam. It has even been said that earning a spot in it can be more challenging. Since the best of the best are pitted against one another in every match, the tournament unfolds with tremendous intensity, making it a thrilling event for spectators.

Shingo Kunieda, who won this tournament three consecutive times between 2012 and 2014, reflects on his own experience, saying, “It was when I first secured a spot in this tournament that I realized I had finally made it in the sport and was filled with a powerful sense of pride. On the one hand, I knew that all of my opponents were top contenders, and therefore developed a keen awareness that you can’t afford to lose your focus for even a split second from the first round up until the final round. On the other hand, I still vividly remember the exhilarating feeling of knowing I was competing on the world’s greatest stage, both in terms of the atmosphere at the venue and the quality of the event’s management, which stirred in me a strong desire to become a player capable of continuing to win there.”

NEC has supported this event as a global partner for over 30 years since the inaugural tournament was held in the Netherlands. Through the donation of competition wheelchairs, engagement in promotional activities, and the provision of steady support for the management of international tournaments, NEC has gone far beyond the role of a sponsor, driving the development of wheelchair tennis as a sport over the course of many years. These consistent efforts have built a strong foundation for wheelchair tennis to gain recognition as a global sport, allowing athletes to broaden their horizons beyond national and regional boundaries.

Moreover, this tournament, which symbolizes and is rooted in NEC’s purpose of “creating the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential,” enables NEC to continue conveying its commitment both internally and externally.

The final matches, which are the climax of the tournament, showcased the kind of advanced skills and tactics only seen in wheelchair tennis.

Pang Tingting, who also works at NEC (China) Co., Ltd. and watched the final matches with her family, says she was blown away by the pure intensity of the matches.

“The final match for the women’s singles title featured Yui Kamiji (Japan) and Li Xiaohui (China), while that for the men’s singles title was a battle between Tokito Oda (Japan) and Alfie Hewett (UK). These Para athletes use their wheelchairs almost as if they are an extension of their own bodies, instantly recognizing when to accelerate, stop, or shift direction as they play. I was particularly impressed by the way they could read the movement of their opponent before serving and quickly decide their next move, as well as their ability to maintain focus and tactical awareness until the very end without giving up in tense situations where there are consecutive deuces.”

Tingting also shared that observing the players frequently hydrating and replenishing their energy stores, along with their unwavering determination to fight to the very end of lengthy matches, helped her gain a deeper understanding of the intensity of the sport. Moreover, she learned valuable lessons applicable to daily life.

Shingo Kunieda has long described the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters as both an opportunity for the players who prevailed that year to compete and a symbolic stage for passing on the torch to the sport’s next generation. Witnessing these top athletes compete in earnest provides young players and those looking to get involved in the sport with a chance to set new goals and embrace new challenges. The NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters is a tournament that not only showcases where the sport is today but also charts the course for the next generation.