Alfie Hewett finally achieved his Wimbledon dream, securing the singles title on Sunday to complete his career Grand Slam in wheelchair tennis. The British player defeated Martin De La Puente 6-2, 6-3 in the men’s wheelchair singles final on No. 1 Court. This victory marked Hewett’s first Wimbledon singles title after two consecutive runner-up finishes and his ninth major singles title overall. He now holds an impressive 21 major titles in wheelchair doubles, adding a sixth Wimbledon victory with partner Gordon Reid later in the day against Japanese duo Takuya Miki and Tokito Oda. However, the singles title at his home Grand Slam tournament was the missing piece in his remarkable career.
Hewett expressed his relief and joy after the win, admitting to the pressure he felt. “You don’t need reminding me. I’m speechless to be honest,” the 26-year-old Hewett told an on-court interviewer. “To leave on a singles final loss has been not far off heartbreaking the last couple of years. When you’ve been watching this ever since (you were) a young kid and it’s been a dream for so, so long, narrowly missing out is a real tough one. I’ll be honest, last night I was a bowl of nerves because I didn’t want to walk away with another loss.”
De La Puente, a 25-year-old Spaniard, was competing in his first Grand Slam final, facing a formidable opponent who had defeated him multiple times throughout their junior careers. He also had to contend with a large and enthusiastic crowd cheering for his rival. “We’ve (been) battling so much since juniors, many matches. He always won,” De La Puente acknowledged.
Hewett completed a perfect day by partnering with Reid to defeat Miki and Oda, the pair who defeated Hewett in last year’s singles final, 6-4, 7-6 (2) in the doubles final.
The women’s wheelchair doubles title went to top-seeded Yui Kamiji and Kgothatso Montjane, who overcame the Dutch pair Diede de Groot and Jiske Griffioen 6-4, 6-4. This victory marked Kamiji’s eighth Wimbledon doubles title and Montjane’s first. De Groot had already secured her 15th consecutive singles title on Saturday.
The quad wheelchair singles final saw Niels Vink triumph over fellow Dutchman Sam Schroder 7-6 (4), 6-4.
