Alfie Hewett believes he is getting closer to winning his first Wimbledon wheelchair singles title as he gears up to defend his doubles crown alongside Gordon Reid; you can watch over 80 tournaments a year, including the US Open, exclusively live on Sky Sports Tennis
Wednesday 1 May 2024 06:07, UK
Alfie Hewett has won 27 Grand Slam singles and doubles titles combined across his glistening career, but remains in search of his maiden solo Wimbledon triumph. He has plans to change that this summer.
The British wheelchair tennis star has reached the singles final in each of the last two years, most recently coming up second best to Japan's Tokito Oda in 2023 having been beaten by Shingo Kunieda the previous summer.
He has meanwhile clinched five doubles titles alongside Gordon Reid at the All England Club, with his partner having won the inaugural Wimbledon wheelchair singles crown back in 2016.
"I love it, it gets to this time every year and everybody reminds me of the one I haven't got," joked Hewett, speaking to Sky Sports. "Maybe I need to ask for some tips off Gordon!
"Of course, it's an accolade I'm desperate for and want to add to my collection. I feel like I've been progressing on grass over the last few years, I don't think it was my natural surface that I played well on when I was younger, but I'm enjoying the experiences we've been given and I'm learning a lot.
"We haven't played a lot of grass tennis, it's only really been from 2016 that the singles event was introduced and we're starting to have more tournaments on grass."
Grass experience has been increasing for the wheelchair competition, with preparations for Wimbledon set to include Eastbourne, the British Open in Roehampton and a potential exhibition at Queen's.
"These are all great examples of how the sport has come so far," added Hewett.
"It also gives us more opportunity on the grass and hopefully we can use that to our advantage and do some good."
Hewett and Reid return as reigning Wimbledon champions following last year's 3-6 6-0 6-3 victory over Japan's Oda and Takuya Miki.
The pair started the year in perfect fashion as they won a fifth successive Australian Open.
"I think I made a joke during the trophy ceremony after the doubles last year about the fact that at the first Wimbledon I played back in 2012 there were about three people watching, and one was my mum and one was my sister," laughed Reid.
"It's come a long way since then!
"As Alfie said, we had an amazing final at Wimbledon on Court One last year with about 10,000 people watching and with an amazing atmosphere.
"The sport is progressing every year at Wimbledon."
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