Esther Vergeer: The Unrivalled Legend of Wheelchair Tennis

Photo: Paralympic.org

Esther Vergeer, born on July 18, 1981, in Woerden, Netherlands, is widely regarded as one of the most dominant athletes in the history of professional sports.

Her extraordinary career in wheelchair tennis, marked by an unprecedented 470-match winning streak and a trove of titles, has cemented her legacy as a trailblazer and an inspiration.

Beyond her on court dominance, Vergeer’s resilience, advocacy for disability rights, and contributions to the sport have made her a global icon. This article explores her remarkable journey, achievements, and lasting impact.

Esther Vergeer’s life took a dramatic turn at the age of six when she began experiencing health issues. After a swimming lesson in March 1988, she became dizzy and passed out, leading doctors to discover a buildup of fluids and a brain haemorrhage caused by a vascular myelopathy around her spinal cord.

Despite initial treatment, her condition worsened over the next two years, with recurring headaches, neck pain, and a stroke. In January 1990, a nine hour operation to address the abnormality left her paralysed from the waist down at just eight years old.

The physical and emotional challenges of her disability were profound, with Vergeer later reflecting on the depression she faced, crying nightly and questioning, “Why me?” However, her introduction to sports during rehabilitation transformed her life.

She discovered wheelchair basketball, volleyball, and tennis, finding not only physical strength but also renewed confidence and purpose. Vergeer’s determination to reclaim her independence through sports set the stage for her extraordinary career.

Initially excelling in wheelchair basketball, Vergeer was part of the Dutch national team that won the European Championship in 1997. However, her growing passion for tennis led her to focus on the sport by age 17, a decision that would redefine wheelchair tennis history.

Vergeer’s professional tennis career began to take shape in 1996, though her early results were modest. She won her first singles title in Tilburg and reached a final in Melin, but success was limited until 1998, when she claimed the Wheelchair Tennis Masters, marking the start of her meteoric rise.

From April 1999, Vergeer held the world No. 1 ranking in women’s wheelchair singles, a position she maintained almost uninterrupted until her retirement in February 2013, totalling 668 weeks at the top. Her dominance was unparalleled, with a record of 700 singles wins and only 25 losses, alongside 441 wins and 35 losses in doubles.

The cornerstone of Vergeer’s legacy is her 470-match winning streak in singles, spanning from January 2003 to her retirement in 2013. During this decade, she won 120 consecutive tournaments, defeated 73 different opponents, lost only 18 sets, and delivered 95 “bagels” (6-0, 6-0 victories).

Between August 2004 and October 2006, she won 250 consecutive sets, with only one requiring a tiebreaker. This level of supremacy earned her recognition as the “World’s Most Dominant Athlete” by Time magazine and praise from tennis legends like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Vergeer’s trophy cabinet is staggering. She won 48 major titles—21 in singles and 27 in doubles—across the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. She achieved a career Grand Slam by winning all four major tournaments in a single year, a feat she repeated multiple times. Her doubles success included 22 Grand Slam titles, often partnered with players like Maaike Smit and Jiske Griffioen.

At the Paralympic Games, Vergeer was equally unstoppable, competing in four consecutive Summer Paralympics (2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012). She won seven gold medals—four in singles and three in doubles—and one silver in doubles, making her the most decorated wheelchair tennis player in Paralympic history. Her 2012 Paralympic performance at Eton Manor, where she won both singles and doubles gold, capped a career that saw her lose only one singles match since March 2001.

Vergeer also claimed 14 consecutive NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters titles and was named the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Champion in women’s wheelchair tennis every year from 2000 to 2012, a record unmatched in any tennis category. She won the World Team Cup singles title eight times and the World Championships singles title seven times.

Vergeer’s dominance transcended statistics. She was nominated six times for the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability, winning in 2002 and 2008. In 2016, she received the Fanny Blankers-Koen Career Award, the highest honor for a Dutch athlete.

Her induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2023 alongside fellow wheelchair tennis champion Rick Draney celebrated her contributions to the sport.

In 2010, Vergeer made history by posing nude for ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue, becoming the first disabled athlete featured in the publication. That same year, CNN highlighted her 470-match winning streak, with Federer and Kim Clijsters offering congratulations.

Her peers, including Federer and Djokovic, lauded her professionalism and impact, with Federer noting, “She is a professional in everything that she does and is constantly trying to better herself.”

Vergeer’s influence extends far beyond her competitive achievements.

In 2004, she founded the Esther Vergeer Foundation, which promotes sports and physical activity for children with disabilities, working with hospitals to support young people from the moment they acquire a disability. Her foundation reflects her commitment to helping others find the confidence and independence she gained through sports.

As a member of the International Paralympic Committee’s Athletes’ Council and the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Vergeer has been a vocal advocate for disability rights and the integration of Paralympic and Olympic sports. She envisions a future where able-bodied and disabled athletes compete on equal platforms, a dream she continues to champion as director of the ABN AMRO Open Wheelchair Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.

Vergeer served as Chef de Mission for the Dutch Paralympic Team at the 2018 PyeongChang Paralympic Games and remains an advisor to the Dutch Paralympic Team. Her 2014 biography, ‘Fierce and Vulnerable’, co-launched at the US Open, candidly shares her journey, blending strength with the insecurities she faced as an athlete and person with a disability.

In January 2020, Vergeer faced another challenge when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. True to her character, she approached treatment with determination, reporting in April 2020 that chemotherapy was effective. Even during this period, she continued supporting wheelchair tennis players impacted by the postponement of the 2020 Paralympics, offering guidance on creative home training solutions.

Vergeer’s humility and relatability have endeared her to fans and peers alike. Despite her dominance, she admitted to feeling insecure before matches, worrying about her performance and public perception.

This vulnerability, paired with her relentless drive, made her a role model. As she noted, realising others were inspired by her story was the “biggest compliment” she ever received.

Esther Vergeer’s career is a testament to the power of resilience, determination, and passion. Her 470-match winning streak, 48 Grand Slam titles, seven Paralympic golds, and countless other accolades make her one of the most successful athletes in any sport.

Yet, her legacy is equally defined by her advocacy, leadership, and commitment to uplifting others. As she continues to shape the future of wheelchair tennis and inspire athletes worldwide, Vergeer remains a beacon of what is possible when talent