Gordon Reid began his tournament with a straight sets win ©Getty Images

Britain’s Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett started their NEC Wheelchair Masters and UNIQLO Doubles Masters campaigns in impressive fashion by recording wins in their first group matches.

The season ending tournament has returned to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) National Campus in Orlando, following the cancellation of last year’s event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Competition began with the men’s wheelchair singles the focus of the opening matches.

Hewett, the 2017 champion, began Group A with a comfortable straight games 6-4, 6-2 victory over Spain’s Martin de la Puente.

His compatriot Reid was equally as impressive, as the US Open champion recorded a 6-4, 6-3 win over France’s Nicolas Peifer in the group’s second match.

Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez eased to victory in Group B, overcoming Japan’s Takuya Miki 6-4, 6-1.

France’s Stephane Houdet defeated the Netherlands’ Tom Egberink 6-2, 6-3 in the other Group B tie.

Belgium’s Joachim Gérard, champion in four of the past five editions, remains sidelined as he continues his recovery from illness at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

World number one Diede de Groot came through a tough test in her opening match of the women’s singles, as she seeks a fourth consecutive title at the event.

The Dutch player, who completed the Golden Slam this year by sweeping Grand Slam and Paralympic titles, had won 31 of her past 32 matches.

She won the opening set 6-2 against Dana Mathewson, only for the American to take the second 6-1.

De Groot recovered to win the third set 6-3.

Japan’s Momoko Ohtani beat South Africa’s Kgothatso Montjane 6-2, 6-2 in the second Group A tie.

Group B saw second seed Yui Kamiji of Japan in ruthless form as she swept aside Chile’s Macarena Cabrillana 6-0 6-1, while the Netherlands’ Aniek van Koot beat China’s Zhenzhen Zhu 6-2, 6-2.

Defending champion David Wagner will be among the favourites for the quad title, with Australia’s Dylan Alcott absent following his Golden Slam success this season.

Wagner began his title defence with a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win against fellow American Bryan Barten, before the Netherlands’ Sam Schroder overcame Brazil’s Ymanitu Silva 6-0, 6-2 in Group A.

Group B opened with Dutch star Niels Vink a comfortable 6-0, 6-2 winner South Korea’s Kyu-Seung Kim, with Britain’s Andy Lapthorne edging out Japan’s Koji Sugeno in a dramatic encounter 4-6, 6-2, 7-6.