Alfie Hewett's unrelenting spirit has propelled him into a fifth consecutive Wimbledon wheelchair singles final, defying adversity to claim victory over Argentina's Gustavo Fernandez. The second seed fought back from a set down on Court One, conjuring up a thrilling 6-7 (2-7) 6-0 6-3 comeback that left the crowd in awe.
Hewett, a seasoned champion with no fewer than 10 Grand Slam singles titles to his name, described the semi-final as a "rollercoaster of a match" – one that took him to the very limits of mental and physical endurance. He confessed to feeling like he was on the brink of abandoning ship after losing the opening set tie-break, but somehow managed to refocus his mind and regain control. "I took myself away after the first set and tried to forget what had happened," Hewett explained, acknowledging that he'd been "a bit too tense" and that emotions had almost got the better of him.
Now, Hewett is set for a mouth-watering showdown against Japan's Tokito Oda – a man in red-hot form, having claimed all five Grand Slam singles titles this year and currently sitting pretty as world number one. The two have already clashed once before at Wimbledon, with Oda emerging victorious last year. Hewett paid tribute to his opponent's current dominance, stating: "He's flying at the moment – won all the Grand Slams this year and he's world number one for a reason."
But it's not just singles glory on the horizon for Hewett – he's also set to team up with his trusted partner Gordon Reid in the men's wheelchair doubles final. The British duo, six-time Wimbledon champions, will face Oda and Fernandez in what promises to be an electrifying encounter.
In other news from the world of wheelchair tennis, Andy Lapthorne fell short in the quad wheelchair singles semi-finals, succumbing 6-1 6-1 to second seed Sam Schroder. The Dutchman will now go head-to-head with top-seeded compatriot Niels Vink in the final – an all-Dutch affair that's sure to captivate the Wimbledon crowd.
Source: Wimbledon