Esther Mary Vergeer (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɛstər vərˈɣeːr]; born 18 July 1981) is a Dutch former professional wheelchair tennis player. Vergeer won 43 major titles (21 in singles and 22 in doubles), 23 year-end championships (14 consecutive in singles and nine in doubles), and seven Paralympic gold medals (four in singles and three in doubles). She was the world No. 1 in women's wheelchair singles from 1999 to her retirement in February 2013.[1] Vergeer went undefeated in singles for ten straight years, ending her career on a winning streak of 470 matches.[2] She has often been named the most dominant player in professional sports.[3][4]
Over the course of her career, Vergeer won 700 singles matches and lost 25.[5] She won 169 singles titles,[5] including four Paralympic singles gold medals, 21 major titles and 14 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters. Vergeer spent 668 weeks as the world No. 1, first claiming the position on 6 April 1999, regaining it on 2 October 2000, and relinquishing it on 21 January 2013 (shortly before her retirement). Vergeer was the ITF World Champion for 13 years in a row. In doubles, Vergeer won 136 titles, 27 of which were won at the majors. She has three Paralympic gold medals for doubles, and was part of the winning World Team Cup side on 12 occasions.[6]
Vergeer went undefeated in women's singles matches for ten years, having last lost on 30 January 2003 to Daniela di Toro. Afterwards, she won 120 tournaments, 470 matches, defeated 73 different opponents and did not lose a game on 95 occasions. Further, during the streak she lost only 18 sets and was taken to match point only once, against Korie Homan in the final of the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.[7]
After a swimming lesson at the age of 6 Vergeer became dizzy and later became unconscious. She was taken to a hospital, where it was discovered that she had a build-up of fluids in her brain, as well as brain hemorrhage. Doctors placed a shunt in her brain, and Vergeer was released from the hospital six weeks later. However, in June 1989, Vergeer experienced headaches, pressure behind the eyes and pain in her neck. Despite investigations doctors found nothing. In October of that same year, Vergeer began to complain of pain around the groin. Then, during the holiday season, she had a stroke and had to have a shunt placed in her brain again. Finally, doctors discovered that Vergeer had a vascular myelopathy around her spinal cord. This abnormality caused the strokes that Vergeer experienced. On 15 January 1990, she had a nine-hour operation, which left her unable to move her legs. Vergeer had one final operation in March but was left paralyzed.[8] During rehabilitation she learned to play volleyball, basketball, and tennis in a wheelchair. After playing basketball for several years at club level, she was invited to join the national wheelchair basketball team. She played with the Dutch team that won the European championship in 1997.
During the 1996 season Vergeer won one singles title in Tilburg.[9] She reached one other final in Melin, but she was not successful.[10] Vergeer won two draws at other events; the A draw in Utrecht and the consolation draw in Nottingham.[11] She also reached the final of the A draw in Antony where she was not successful.[12]During the 1997 season Vergeer won consolation singles draws in Antony and Geneva.[13] She also made it to one final in Jambes where she lost.[14] Her success led to a photo in the 26 November 1998 issue of Tennis Week.[15] She continued on and during the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney she did not lose a set to win the gold medal in singles and also won the doubles title with Maaike Smit as her partner.[16] She also won the Wheelchair Tennis masters in 1998.[17] During the 2003 season Vergeer was part of the team that won the World Team Cup for the sixteenth time defeating the US in the final.[18] She also won a title in Nottingham.[19] During the 2004 season Vergeer won singles titles in Boca Raton and Nottingham.[20][21]
During the 2006 season Vergeer won singles titles in Nottingham,[22] Atlanta and San Diego.[23][24] In San Diego, Homan took Vergeer to three sets; it was the first set she had lost since August 2004.[25] 2006 Won masters.[26] With Griffioen, Vergeer won doubles titles in Nottingham,[27] Atlanta and San Diego.[23][28] Won masters doubles.[29]
In 2007 Vergeer won singles titles in Sydney,[30] Boca Raton,[31] Cajun, Japan,[32] Paris,[33] Amsterdam, Jambes,[34] Nottingham,[35] Utrecht,[36] Atlanta and San Diego.[37][38] Vergeer also won all the Grand Slam titles in Melbourne,[39] Paris and New York.[40][41] During Roland Garros, Vergeer chalked up her 250th consecutive singles win.[42] Vergeer rounded the year off by claiming her tenth Masters title and the ITF World Champion.[43][44]In doubles competitions she won titles with Griffioen in Sydney,[45] Boca Raton,[31] Japan,[32] Paris, Nottingham and San Diego.[38][46] The pair also won the Masters and lost for the first time as a team in Utrecht.[36][47] Vergeer also won the Australian and US Opens with Griffioen.[48][49] Vergeer claimed the Grand Slam by also winning Roland Garros with Smit.[40] Vergeer won two other titles in 2007 with Graviller in Cajun and Aniek van Koot in Jambes.[34][50] World team cup.[51]
Vergeer won both of the Slam titles that were available in 2008 with Griffioen.[52][53] As a team they also won in Pensacola,[54] Boca Raton,[55] Fukuoka,[56] Paris,[57] Nottingham and Utrecht.[58][59] The pair also reached the final of Sydney but this was unplayed due to rain.[60] At the Paralympic Games as they suffered only their second loss as a partnership and claimed the silver medal.[61] But they finished the year on a high as a pair by winning the Masters doubles.[62] She also won in Jambes with Homan.[63] In singles competitions both of the Slams that were available in 2008 were won by Vergeer.[53][64] Vergeer also won titles in Sydney,[60] Pensacola,[54] Boca Raton,[65] Fukuoka,[56] Paris, Jambes,[63] Nottingham,[66] Utrecht[59] At the Paralympics Vergeer saved two match points against Homan before going on to win her third singles gold medal and to preserve the streak.[67] The pair met again in the Masters final with Vergeer coming out on top again.