Penistone wheelchair tennis player Antony Cotterill completed a highly successful two weeks in South Africa with victory in the quad doubles at the South African Open in Johannesburg.

After winning the quad doubles at the Gauteng Open in Benoni with American David Wagner, Cotterill’s follow-up success came with fellow Brit Andy Lapthorne as they earned their second title together at Super Series level – the highest tier of wheelchair tennis outside the Grand Slams.

The second seeds reached the last four for the loss of just one game, but with the doubles coming towards the end of the daily schedule and intermittent rain also being a factor, it took three days to complete their semi-final and final victories after play was suspended due to bad light

Their semi-final was played over two days before a second tense doubles victory for Cotterill in successive weeks against Israel’s Itay Erenlib and Brazil’s Ymanitu Silva ended 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

With three Brits on the Tennis Foundation’s Wheelchair Tennis Performance Programme in the final, second seeds Cotterill and Lapthorne then fought back from dropping the opening set to fellow Brit Jamie Burdekin and Wagner to lead the top seeds 5-1 in the second set before play to was suspended.

However, Cotterill and Lapthorne maintained their momentum when play resumed on Saturday to seal a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory and follow up their first Super Series title together at the Open de France last June.

“I’m extremely pleased with my win at the South Africa Open. It’s always good to win such a big title and great to back up my win at the Gauteng Open with David,” said Cotterill, who arrived in Johannesburg having returned to the top 10 in the quad singles world rankings after reaching the singles semi-finals in Benoni.

He backed up his singles form in Johannesburg by reaching the quarter-finals without dropping a game.

The 35-year-old subsequently bowed out to world No4 Lapthorne 6-4, 6-3, but returns home more than satisfied with his work.

“I’ve played some really good tennis these last two weeks and I’m well pleased,” he said.

“In the singles it was the closest I’ve got to beating Andy in recent seasons and in both tournaments I’ve been beaten only by world top-four ranked players.

“So it bodes well for the rest of the season and now I can’t wait to get home and, after few days’ rest, get back to working hard in training.”