Alfie Hewett triumphed at Wimbledon, winning his first wheelchair singles title and completing his career grand slam. He defeated Martín de la Puente of Spain 6-2, 6-3 on No 1 Court. This victory was particularly sweet for Hewett, who had previously faced setbacks and nearly saw his career end due to a rule change.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Hewett expressed gratitude to his team, acknowledging the highs and lows they’ve faced together. “I’m speechless, to be honest,” he said. “These last few years have been difficult, losing twice. I want to thank my team; they’re like a second family. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you can still get back up and keep trying, and that’s all down to you guys.”
Hewett’s victory places him alongside Shingo Kunieda as one of the few players to win both singles and doubles titles at all four grand slam tournaments. His win on Sunday was followed by another triumph in the doubles, where he and Gordon Reid defeated Tokito Oda and Takuya Miki 6-4, 7-6(2) to claim their sixth Wimbledon wheelchair doubles title.
Hewett now boasts 30 grand slam titles, second only to Kunieda’s 50 in the men’s game. Reid, who has 27 grand slam titles, praised the fans for their support during the tough doubles final. “You guys made a great atmosphere which is always special and it really drove us to turn things around in the second set,” he said.
Their doubles victory marks their 21st title together, surpassing the record held by the partnerships of Althea Louise Brough and Margaret Evelyn Du Pont, and Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver. The Brits demonstrated resilience, particularly in the second set where they saved five set points to level at 5-5 before winning the tie-break.
Hewett and Reid’s achievements at Wimbledon solidify their status as one of the greatest partnerships in wheelchair tennis.
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