Hewett Wins Wimbledon Singles to Complete Career Grand Slam 2024!
Introduction
Britain’s Alfie Hewett finally claimed his long-awaited Wimbledon wheelchair singles title and completed a career Grand Slam with a dominant victory over Martin de la Puente.
Achieving the Grand Slam
Long-Awaited Victory
- Previous Defeats: Hewett had suffered agonizing defeats in the last two Wimbledon finals.
- Dominant Performance: This time, Hewett looked utterly dominant, winning 6-2 6-3 on Court One.
- Winning Moment: He took the title with a crushing backhand return, threw his racquet into the air, and then dropped his head into his lap in front of feverish supporters.
Emotional Reaction
- Overcoming Nerves: “Narrowly missing out has been tough before and last night I was a ball of nerves,” Hewett told the crowd after clinching the title.
- Bittersweet Memories: “Winning the doubles with Gordon Reid is good memories, but to leave on a singles final loss has been heart-breaking the last couple of years.”
Historical Achievement
Career Grand Slam
- Second Male Player: Hewett became the second male player after Japanese legend Shingo Kunieda to win both the singles and doubles titles of every Grand Slam.
- Potential Double Victory: Later on Sunday, he could become the first man since Britain’s Reid in 2016 to win both the Wimbledon singles and doubles titles in the same year.
Doubles Success
- Partnership with Reid: Hewett and Reid have won five of the past seven Wimbledon doubles titles together.
- Doubles Record: Hewett has now won nine Grand Slam singles titles and 20 in doubles. Only Shingo Kunieda, with 50 titles, has won more in men’s wheelchair tennis.
Overcoming Past Challenges
Difficult Losses
- Previous Finals: Two years ago, Hewett served for the Championship four times before losing to Kunieda. Last year, he led the first set against Tokito Oda 4-1 but lost 11 of the next 13 games.
- Emotional Struggle: “These most recent couple of years have been troublesome, losing two times. I would rather not investigate here since I’ll likely beginning crying.”
Support System
- Acknowledging His Team: “I want to thank my team, they’re like a second family over there. We’ve gone through a lot together, a lot of highs and some lows.”
- Perseverance: “No matter how many times you get knocked down, you can still get back up and keep trying, and that’s all down to you guys.”
The Final Match – Grand Slam
Strong Start
- Rapid Start: Hewett made a rapid start, converting his eighth break point to lead 2-1 in the opener with a booming forehand winner.
- Immediate Response: De la Puente, in his first Grand Slam singles final, immediately broke back.
Overcoming Challenges
- Shoulder Issue: Despite struggling with a shoulder issue at the start of the tournament, Hewett quickly found his rhythm in the final.
- Dominant Play: He twice broke De la Puente and clinched a superb first set in 40 minutes after his opponent returned a powerful first serve long.
Second Set Drama
Breaks and Holds
- Early Lead: Hewett initially looked more relaxed in the second set, finding the lines as he broke De la Puente to 15 to go 1-0 ahead.
- Exchange of Breaks: Both players struggled in the warm conditions, exchanging four more breaks of serve.
Closing the Match – Championship point.
- Final Push: With a 4-3 lead, Hewett was taken to deuce on serve but managed to hold.
- Championship Point: He broke his opponent one final time and secured the title on his second championship point with a superb return winner.
Dedication to Grandad
Special Dedication
- Family Support: Hewett dedicated his victory to his Grandad. “He was here for my very first Wimbledon performance, and it’s really nice he can be here today to celebrate this win.”
Conclusion
Alfie Hewett’s triumph at Wimbledon is not only a personal victory but also a historic achievement, cementing his place among the greats of wheelchair tennis.
Table of Contents
References
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