HELENSBURGH wheelchair tennis star Gordon Reid has been named in the Great Britain squad for the World Team Cup in Italy.

Geraint Richards, the Tennis Foundation’s head of disability player performance, announced on Tuesday three-strong teams for the men’s, quad and junior events for the competition in Alghero, Sardinia from May 1-7.

Great Britain will be competing in three of four events at the International Tennis Federation’s flagship wheelchair tennis event.

Great Britain made history at the 2015 BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Antalya, Turkey, winning a first gold medal in the top tier of the men’s event after Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett beat France in both singles rubbers in the final.

Reid and Hewett will team up once again alongside Dermot Bailey and will be captained by Reid’s long-time coach Karen Ross.

Reid said: “I’ve got really great memories from 2015 and I think we’ve got a great chance of winning the title again after the bronze medal last year.

“Last year’s World Team Cup was the first I’d missed since first being selected as a junior, as Roland Garros was soon afterwards, so I’m excited to be back in the team this year and the possibilities for us.

“When we beat Paralympic champions Stephane Houdet and Nico Peifer in the Super Series final in South Africa a couple of weeks ago that was the first time me and Alfie had been on court together since Rio, so given that I expect France to be our toughest opponents it was a good way to go to the World Team Cup.”

Geraint Richards added: “While 2016 was an exceptional year for British wheelchair tennis as we returned from the Rio Paralympics with six medals and as the most successful wheelchair tennis nation, recent World Team Cups have also produced some memorable victories for our men’s, quad and junior teams and we look forward to challenging for more medals in Sardinia.

“To have both our Rio Paralympic men’s singles and doubles finalists Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett and Rio quad singles finalist Andy Lapthorne headlining this year’s GB squad of nine players is obviously very exciting.

“All three have plenty of World Team Cup experience to draw on and with Gordon, Alfie and Antony Cotterill having all enjoyed Super Series doubles victories earlier this month I am confident that we have a well-prepared squad.”