London, July 14: The third time is a charm for Alfie Hewett. In a third consecutive Wimbledon gentleman’s Wheelchair singles final, the 26-year-old Brit at last broke through to lift the trophy at his home Grand Slam.
“I think today proved that no matter how many times you can get knocked down, you can still get back up,” an emotional Hewett said as he warmly thanked his support team following a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Martin De La Puente on No.1 Court.
“We’ve gone through a lot together. A lot of highs and some lows but you never fail to get me back to myself and my level and keep believing in me.”
Hewett admitted that the memories of previous finals, when he lost to Shingo Kunieda in 2022 and Tokito Oda last year, had made him a “ball of nerves” as he contemplated his 23rd meeting with De La Puente.
And yet the popular local managed the huge occasion before an excited home crowd beautifully.
Hewett immediately set the scene for his most successful day at the All England Club, with spectacular court coverage helping him produce a forehand winner on the first point.But he was made to work by De La Puenta, who had arrived at his first Grand Slam singles final with an upset victory over world No.1 and defending champion Oda in the semi-finals.
De La Puenta saved seven break points before Hewett at last converted in the third game and immediately recovered to level the first set. From the fifth game, however, Hewett finally seized momentum when he broke, then consolidated.
Six straight games went to the local, with the occasional sounds of champagne corks popping courtside providing an apt soundtrack as Hewett took a 6-2 2-0 lead.
The sense of celebration grew as the Brit managed some pressure – most obvious as he double-faulted to hand De La Puente one break back – and the Spaniard’s groundstrokes to level in the second set.Hewett seized the last three games before securing his momentous victory on a backhand winner.
It was a ninth Grand Slam singles title in total for Hewett, adding to his four US Open victories, three at Roland Garros and an Australian Open triumph in 2023.While Hewett has also teamed with Gordon Reid to claim five Wimbledon doubles titles, he’d long dreamed of claiming a singles crown.“I’ve been really trying to see the positives in my developments and my game on grass, but you know when you’ve been watching this ever since a young kid and it’s been a dream for so, so long narrowly missing out is a real tough one,” he said.“I’m just really, really proud of my performance out there.”
There were emotional scenes as Niels Vink defeated Dutch countryman Sam Schroder to win a second consecutive Wimbledon quad wheelchair singles title.
“This is meaning so much for me. I want to thank Sam,” said Vink, having secured a hard-fought 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over his friend and doubles partner in an hour and 41 minutes on the No.3 Court. “Finally we are playing finals again together … I think we make each other better.”
It was a second Wimbledon title in two days for the 21-year-old, who teamed with Schroder to win the quad wheelchair singles final on Saturday. (AP)
