Two-time Paralympic bronze medallist Lucy Shuker has guaranteed herself a wheelchair tennis silver - but it's gold she wants.

There wasn't much British cheer at the Ariake Tennis Centre, indeed the union flag that hung dank and abandoned on a railing sort of summed it all up.

Just after 2am local time Antony Cotterill and Andy Lapthorne lost their quads doubles bronze medal match and in the hours that followed Jordanne Whiley, Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett were all beaten in their singles semi-finals.

So when Fleet's Shuker and partner Whiley returned to court for the delayed last four match of their women's doubles campaign, the spirit in the camp was as gloomy as the skies above.

Whiley and Shuker often play with other partners on the Tour but come together for the Games.

They did reach the final at Wimbledon earlier this summer and will now go for gold here, following a 6-4, 6-2 win over China's Wang Ziying and Zhu Zhenzhen that was a lot closer than the scoreline suggested.

"I think we stuck together, we communicated well, we moved well, and I think that was the key at the end of the day," said Shuker, like her partner now a four-time Paralympian.

"It's going to be a tough match - we know that. We're ready for the challenge. We're in a great place and we're playing really great tennis. Like Lucy said, we're in the best place possible. We have the opportunity to win gold and it's up to us."

You don't have to be best mates to be good team mates and Shuker and Whiley have finally upgraded their bronze medals from London and Rio, though gold is always just a bit more bling than silver.

"We've worked so hard together during that match and training or who knows what happens now," said Whiley, with defending champion Aniek van Koot and new partner Diede de Groot now waiting in the final.

"It's a dream come true. Having won two bronzes in the previous Games is an achievement in itself. I think we've always been dreaming about having a gold or silver and we just put ourselves in the best place possible - we're in the match. I'm just buzzing that we've done it together as a team."

Meanwhile, Eastleigh's boccia singles gold medallist David Smith was brought down to earth 24 hours after his podium topping heroics, as his bid for a team medal suffered a setback.

Alongside Claire Taggart and Will Hipwell, Smith's Great Britain team lost to China and  Thailand to leave their qualification hopes hanging by a thread.

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