London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Britain's Alfie Hewett wins wheelchair singles title at French Open

Britain's Alfie Hewett wins wheelchair singles title at French Open

Alfie Hewett completed a perfect French Open by beating Joachim Gerard with a battling performance to win a fourth grand slam wheelchair singles title. Hewett lifted the doubles trophy with Gordon Reid on Friday and came through another rollercoaster on Saturday, recovering from 1-3 in the deciding set to defeat the Belgian 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Hewett needed treatment for a left shoulder problem at 1-3, 0-30 and Gerard had three break points for a 4-1 lead but the British player dug in and did not lose another game.

It was Gerard’s turn to take a lengthy break at 3-5 for some repairs to his chair but the momentum was all with Hewett and he clinched victory on his first match point with a simple volley before throwing his racket into the air in triumph.

The 22-year-old said: “I’m still quite emotional. I haven’t really let it out yet. I think just the way the match was, I can’t believe I actually won it. I felt like it was going a little bit against me. The momentum was in my favour in the third set. I don’t really know how I’m sitting here victorious.”

Hewett’s time in the sport is running out after learning late last year that his disability, Perthes disease, is not judged to be serious enough to meet new classification rules. This was due to be his final year but the delaying of the Paralympics until 2021 has meant a stay of execution, while Hewett is still hoping the decision will be overturned on appeal.

“It always is a bit of a motivation for me. As much as I have struggled with the decision, the uncertainty of it, I can only channel that towards my tennis,” he said. “I don’t like to think about life after tennis because it’s something that I’ve done for so long now. It’s in my blood. I love playing it. I wouldn’t want to stop playing at the age of 23, 24. That’s not in my plans. Hopefully that can get reversed and I can carry on.”

Andy Lapthorne was unable to make it a British double in the quad final, losing 6-2, 6-2 to the Australian top seed, Dylan Alcott.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×