Alfie Hewett claimed an emotional first wheelchair singles championship at Wimbledon with a dominant 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Spain's Martín de la Puente to complete his career grand slam.
Previously experiencing defeats in the 2022 and 2023 singles finals at The All England Club, Hewett erased those memories with an impressive performance that thrilled a captivated audience on Court One during last year's match against Tokito Oda.
"I am truly speechless," confessed the British athlete. "The past few years have been challenging. Although winning doubles alongside Gordon [Reid] created joyful memories, exiting as singles finalist has been disheartening in recent times. Having witnessed this sport since childhood and aspiring to compete in it for so long, narrowly missing out on success was tough.
"Last night, I felt nervous about not repeating a loss," continued Hewett. "I am incredibly proud of my performance. My gratitude extends to everyone who supported me throughout the journey."
Reaching the final after an arduous four-set battle with Gustavo Fernández earlier in the tournament, de la Puente stunned 2023 champion Oda to secure a first grand slam singles final appearance. With Hewett's impressive track record against de la Puente, expectations were high for him to claim Wimbledon's wheelchair singles title for the first time.
Hewett and de la Puente entered Court One amidst enthusiastic applause before breaks during the match. The opening game saw Hewett gain an early advantage with a break, leading 12 of the subsequent 14 points to elicit thunderous cheers from the crowd.
An initial lead in the second set sparked further excitement until de la Puente fought back and struggled to hold serve. However, Hewett ultimately held his nerve and won the championship point with a powerful shot down the line, securing victory after an intense 78-minute match on Court One.
Court erupted as Hewett embraced his emotions following this exhilarating achievement, which added to his impressive record of four US Open titles, three French Open victories and one Australian Open win in wheelchair singles competition.
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