Alfie Hewett Saves Match Points to Reach French Open Wheelchair Singles Final
In a thrilling display of skill and determination, Great Britain’s Alfie Hewett saved two match points to defeat Gustavo Fernandez and secure his place in the French Open wheelchair singles final. The second seed had been in impressive form leading up to this match, not dropping a single set in his first two encounters, but he faced a stern test against Argentina’s Fernandez.
According to a report by the BBC, Hewett found himself in a precarious position, trailing 4-6 6-4 6-7 (12-10) before mounting a stunning comeback to win in two hours and 46 minutes. The match tie-break proved to be a nail-biter, with Hewett saving two match points to ultimately emerge victorious. As noted by the BBC, this victory sets up a rematch of the 2023 final against Japan’s Tokito Oda, a player Hewett has a history with.
In the aftermath of his hard-fought win, Hewett revealed that he had been haunted by memories of last year’s semi-final, where he suffered a defeat to the same opponent over three sets. As quoted by the BBC, Hewett said, "I’m just happy that I didn’t bottle it. It means everything to me and I didn’t want history to repeat itself." He also praised his mental toughness, stating, "I think the strongest bit of what I did today was my mentality, because when momentum is with him it’s very difficult to disturb his rhythm."
The BBC reports that Hewett’s opponent in the final, Tokito Oda, had earlier secured his place in the championship match with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Martin de la Puente. As the world number one, Oda will be looking to add to his impressive tally of titles, while Hewett – a 10-time Grand Slam singles champion – will be seeking to claim his fourth French Open title.
In addition to his singles success, Hewett is also due to compete in the men’s wheelchair doubles final alongside fellow Briton Gordon Reid. The BBC notes that the match has been rescheduled to take place on Saturday, with the British duo – five-time defending champions in Paris – set to face Oda and France’s Stephane Houdet for the title. With his impressive form and mental resilience on display, Hewett will undoubtedly be one to watch in the final.
The BBC’s coverage of the French Open highlights Hewett’s remarkable achievement, with the 27-year-old having established himself as a dominant force in wheelchair tennis. As the competition reaches its climax, fans will be eagerly anticipating the final showdown between Hewett and Oda, a rematch of last year’s thrilling encounter. With Hewett’s determination and skill on full display, this promises to be an unmissable event.
The information used in this article was sourced from the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/articles/cpd43eel35zo.
