42 Facts About Esther Vergeer

Esther Vergeer was the world No 1 in women's wheelchair singles from 1999 to her retirement in February 2013.

Esther Vergeer went undefeated in singles for ten straight years, ending her career on a winning streak of 470 matches.

Esther Vergeer has often been named the most dominant player in professional sports.

Esther Vergeer won 169 singles titles, including four Paralympic singles gold medals, 21 major titles and 14 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters.

Esther 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.

Esther Vergeer was the ITF World Champion for 13 years in a row.

In doubles, Esther Vergeer won 136 titles, 27 of which were won at the majors.

Esther Vergeer has three Paralympic gold medals for doubles, and was part of the winning World Team Cup side on 12 occasions.

Esther Vergeer went undefeated in women's singles matches for ten years, having last lost on 30 January 2003 to Daniela di Toro.

Esther Vergeer 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 Esther Vergeer was released from the hospital six weeks later.

However, in June 1989, Esther Vergeer experienced headaches, pressure behind the eyes and pain in her neck.

Finally, doctors discovered that Esther Vergeer had a vascular myelopathy around her spinal cord.

Esther Vergeer played with the Dutch team that won the European championship in 1997.

Esther Vergeer reached one other final in Melin, but she was not successful.

Esther Vergeer won two draws at other events; the A draw in Utrecht and the consolation draw in Nottingham.

Esther Vergeer reached the final of the A draw in Antony where she was not successful.

Esther Vergeer made it to one final in Jambes where she lost.

Esther Vergeer's success led to a photo in the 26 November 1998 issue of Tennis Week.

Esther Vergeer continued on and during the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney she did not lose a set to win the gold medal in singles and won the doubles title with Maaike Smit as her partner.

In 2007 Esther Vergeer won singles titles in Sydney, Boca Raton, Cajun, Japan, Paris, Amsterdam, Jambes, Nottingham, Utrecht, Atlanta and San Diego.

Esther Vergeer won all the Grand Slam titles in Melbourne, Paris and New York.

Esther Vergeer rounded the year off by claiming her tenth Masters title and the ITF World Champion.

Esther Vergeer claimed the Grand Slam by winning Roland Garros with Smit.

Esther Vergeer won two other titles in 2007 with Graviller in Cajun and Aniek van Koot in Jambes.

Esther Vergeer won both of the Slam titles that were available in 2008 with Griffioen.

Esther Vergeer won titles in Sydney, Pensacola, Boca Raton, Fukuoka, Paris, Jambes, Nottingham, Utrecht At the Paralympics Esther Vergeer saved two match points against Homan before going on to win her third singles gold medal and to preserve the streak.

Esther Vergeer capped the year by winning her twelfth Masters title after being two points away from defeat in the final against Homan.

In December Esther Vergeer celebrated ten years at number one and was named the 2009 World Champion.

In 2010, Esther Vergeer won Roland Garros and the US Open.

Esther Vergeer finished the year with the Masters title, winning her four hundredth match in a row and the World number One.

In doubles, Esther Vergeer only played in the Grand Slams where she lost in the final of Roland Garros with Walraven but they got back on track with wins at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Esther Vergeer won titles in Pensacola, Boca Raton, Nottingham and St Louis.

Esther Vergeer finished the year as the World Number One for the twelfth year in succession, having won eight singles titles.

In 2012, Esther Vergeer won titles in Melbourne, Sydney, Australian Open, Pensacola, Boca Raton, Eton Manor, Roland Garros, Geneva and Nottingham.

At the 2012 Paralympics Esther Vergeer became the most decorated Wheelchair tennis player in the history of the Games.

In doubles competitions, Esther Vergeer won the Australian Open with Walraven, Boca Raton, Roland Garros Geneva with Smit for their first title as a team since Roland Garros 2007.

Esther Vergeer has won 162 singles and 134 doubles titles at international tournaments.

Esther Vergeer has been part of the Dutch team that has won 14 World Team Cups.

From 31 March 2001 until her retirement in 2013, Esther Vergeer lost only one singles match, winning 559 of her last 560 matches.

Esther Vergeer has been nominated six times for the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability, winning it twice, in 2002 and 2008.

In December 2010 Esther Vergeer was featured on CNN for her tennis record of 401 straight wins, receiving congratulations from Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters.