Hampshire’s Peter Norfolk, the 2004 and 2008 Paralympic champion, has announced he will no longer play full-time wheelchair tennis.

Known as the Quadfather, Norfolk was the ParalympicsGB flagbearer for the opening ceremony of London 2012, but it is unlikely he will now continue on until the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016 after he opted against competing full-time on the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour and left the Tennis Foundation’s performance programme.

The 52-year-old from Alton said: “I haven’t had a break from the Tour for 12 years and I feel it is time to dedicate some of my time to other areas of my life.

“I have enjoyed some incredible moments in my career and I want to thank everyone who has been a part of that, especially those who have given up their time and efforts to help me get to the top.

“I look forward to staying involved with the Tennis Foundation and I hope I can inspire more disabled people in this country to take up tennis, as it’s such a brilliant and fun sport to play.”

Norfolk will concentrate on growing his business, Equipment for the Physically Challenged (EPC), as well as spending more time with his wife Linda and two young children.