Alfie Hewett earns career grand slam with Wimbledon wheelchair singles title
At times, the sorrow of a broken heart makes the taste of victory even more delightful. Three years in the past, Alfie Hewett faced the possibility of never competing in grand slam tennis again, as a new regulation on wheelchair tournaments posed a threat to his career. Although that rule was eventually reversed, Hewett has experienced disappointment at Wimbledon in the last two years, coming close to winning the coveted title he desires.
The latest update shows that on Sunday, Hewett emerged victorious against Martín de la Puente of Spain with a score of 6-2, 6-3 on Court No. 1. This win marked Hewett's first Wimbledon singles title and completed his collection of all four major titles, achieving a career grand slam. Hewett took the lead early with a break in the third game, setting the tone for the rest of the match. He maintained control throughout and never faltered.
When Hewett tossed his racket into the air and covered his face with his hands, he couldn't contain his happiness and relief. Finally, his dreams had come true.
"I don't even know what to say, to be completely honest," Hewett expressed. "The past few years have been challenging, experiencing loss twice. I don't want to glance in that direction [pointing towards his team and family] because I might just break down in tears."
I am grateful for my team. They are like a second family to me. We have experienced many challenges and successes together. Despite facing difficulties, we always manage to stand back up and persevere, thanks to the support of each other.
Almost winning in the past has been difficult and last night I was very nervous. While it was a good experience to win the doubles with Gordon Reid, losing in the singles final has been very upsetting for me in recent years.
Hewett's victory last Sunday means he has achieved the singles and doubles titles at all four major tennis tournaments, just like Shingo Kunieda. Hewett now has nine singles titles and, to add to his impressive record, he and Gordon Reid won their sixth Wimbledon wheelchair doubles title by defeating Tokito Oda and Takuya Miki with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (2) a few hours after his singles victory.
Hewett has achieved victory in a total of 30 grand slam tournaments, putting him in second place behind Kunieda, who holds the record with 50 titles in the men's division.
