Houdet, the current world number one ranked doubles players and Kunieda the former world number one as well as the current world number one ranked singles player, head the list of four pairings for the men’s wheelchair doubles.

The pair are also both former Wimbledon wheelchair doubles champions, with Kunieda having been one half of the winning pairing in 2006 and Houdet triumphing last year alongside fellow Frenchman Michael Jeremiasz.

Houdet and Kunieda arrive at Wimbledon in formidable form having won the men’s wheelchair doubles titles at the Australian Open and Roland Garros in the first two majors of the season. 

Roland Garros runners-up Robin Ammerlaan of the Netherlands and Stefan Olsson of Sweden pair up for the first time at Wimbledon and look set to be the biggest obstacle in preventing Houdet and Kunieda winning their third major of the year. 

In the ladies’ wheelchair doubles, superstar Esther Vergeer (pictured) of the Netherlands teams up with countrywoman Sharon Walraven to head the list of entries. 

Vergeer was part of the winning pairing in the inaugural ladies’ wheelchair doubles event in 2009 and recently partnered Walraven in Roland Garros where the two were narrowly beaten in the final.

Meanwhile, Vergeer and Walraven’s fellow Dutchwoman Aniek Van Koot goes in search of her third successive doubles title at a Grand Slam.

Van Koot won at the Australian Open and Roland Garros this year with two different partners in Daniela di Toro of Australia and Florence Alix-Gravellier of France respectively.

The entry for the ladies’ doubles also includes young British hotshot Lucy Shuker who is set to partner di Toro to renew the partnership that reached the Wimbledon wheelchair doubles final last year.

2010 will represent the sixth year that the men’s wheelchair doubles event takes place and just the second year that a ladies’ wheelchair doubles event features at Wimbledon.

A total of £30,000 ($45,000) in prize money is on offer in 2010 for the wheelchair tennis doubles events at The Championships.

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