Vergeer only needed two sets to beat team-mate Aniek van Koot 6-0 6-3 to claim her triumph.

She has now not been beaten in 470 matches, since January 2003, and adds London 2012 gold to her medals from Beijing 2008, Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000.

She broke down in tears afterwards, saying: 'Everyone was talking about it and I just made it happen. It's what I dreamed about, thought about and did everything for. There was so much pressure.

It's what I dreamed about, thought about and did everything for.

Esther Vergeer

'Everybody expected me to win gold and that I would win but I still had to work hard, to go to training, to be at the top of my game. A lot of people forget that.'

Van Koot, who was playing in her first Paralympic Games, said: 'I have been close [to beating Vergeer] before and I need to remember that and motivate myself to keep trying. She is beatable - you just have to figure out how.

'You just don't want to lose, do you? A silver is good, and one day it will be gold. I'll raise the bar for that and I will set my goals on gold for the next time.'

It meant the Netherlands produced a clean sweep of women's Singles medals, as the bronze was won yesterday by Jiske Griffioen.

Peter Vikstrom and Stefan Olsson of Sweden took gold in two sets in the men's Doubles, beating France's Frederic Cattaneo and Nicolas Peifer in the final.

Bronze also went to a French pair, Stephane Houdet and Michael Jeremiasz, who beat Ronald Vink and Robin Ammerlaan of the Netherlands in two sets.

Also today, the USA's Nick Taylor was victorious over Shraga Weinberg in three sets to win Quad Singles bronze.

Great Britain's Lucy Shuker and Jordanne Whiley came from a set down to claim the bronze in the women's Doubles with a marathon 6-7 (8/10) 7-6 (7/2) 6-3 win over Thai duo Sakhorn Khanthasit and Ratana Techamaneewat.

Whiley said: 'I thought I was going to have a heart attack. When we were down I knew I had to get my act together.

'I was playing pretty rubbish. I had to keep reminding myself that this is for a medal. We both managed to turn the game around.'