Alfie Hewett savours one of great wheelchair tennis matches despite final loss

Alfie Hewett fell agonisingly short of Paralympic singles gold but savoured one of the greatest matches in wheelchair tennis history after losing a three-set thriller in front of a near-capacity crowd at Roland Garros.

The British star overcame a groin injury and one-set deficit to move within touching distance of the men’s title in Paris.

But 18-year-old opponent Tokito Oda saved match point on Court Philippe-Chatrier before edging an epic encounter 6-2 4-6 7-5 in two hours and 38 minutes.

“It was just incredible and we certainly did our bit for wheelchair tennis today and the Paralympic movement,” said Hewett.

“Sometimes that’s bigger than winning a medal, I think.

“Right now that’s what I’m clinching on to: that this is something that can drive wheelchair tennis in the future, hopefully.

“What we’ve done today out there is nothing short of absolutely remarkable and may go down in wheelchair tennis Paralympic history.

“Whenever those rackets get hung up, if I can watch a match like that then that means more than gold, silver and bronze.”

Hewett was back in action approximately 24 hours after he celebrated a career golden slam in doubles alongside Gordon Reid by beating Japanese duo Oda and Takuya Miki on the same court.

The 26-year-old hailed Friday’s triumph with Reid as “the stuff of dreams” but his quest to emulate the feat in individual events threatened to turn into a nightmare.

A close opening game went the way of his teenage opponent before he was forced off the clay in discomfort for medical treatment lasting more than eight minutes.

Left-handed Oda, who was backed by a sizeable Japanese support, swiftly breezed through the opening set, with the contest in danger of being a one-sided affair under grey skies in the French capital.

Spectators attempted to breathe fresh life into the contest by chanting the name of Hewett and then giving each player rapturous applause as they traded eye-catching strokes.

The world number one began to revel in the occasion and acknowledged another winner by holding his arms aloft as momentum gradually started to shift.

After forcing a deciding set, which was played under floodlights following the closure of the roof, Hewett kept up the pressure to move ahead for the first time in the match.

Yet Oda refused to roll over and battled back from the brink to level at 5-5.

That proved a pivotal moment and Hewett, who ended his wait for Wimbledon singles success in July, could not recover as the only crown he is yet to win was sensationally – and cruelly – snatched away.

“I’ve mixed emotions right now,” said the Briton. “After the start and the problem I had with my groin, it wasn’t looking too good.

“To grow into the match and fight and find a way and then get to a match-point scenario and be a few inches away from getting a gold is something I can be proud of.

“And the spirit of how it was played and the atmosphere and all of that is so, so positive, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“But obviously to be one point away and miss that opportunity is going to stick with me, you don’t just move on from something like that overnight.

“But it’s all about perspective, it’s about looking at the good things that today brought.

“Sometimes it’s bigger than the individual and the person and hopefully that today can just really kick on things with our sport even more and bring more attention. That side of it, I’m extremely proud of.”

Published: 07/09/2024 by Radio NewsHub