In an exhilarating display of skill and resilience, Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid secured their spot in the men’s wheelchair doubles final at the US Open, marking their seventh appearance in this prestigious event. Their journey to the final was impressive, as they overwhelmed the pair of Stephane Houdet and Takuya Miki with a decisive 6-2, 6-0 victory. The duo, who previously claimed five titles at this tournament from 2017 to 2021, showcased their dominance by hitting a staggering 27 winners, significantly outpacing their opponents. They will now face the formidable team of Gustavo Fernandez from Argentina and Japan’s Tokito Oda in the final.
Hewett expressed his eagerness to return to the final stage after a few years without the trophy, noting, “It’s nice to be back in the final. Not winning this trophy for a few years has definitely been on our minds in the last few weeks.” He also progressed to the men’s singles semi-finals after defeating Tom Egberink, a silver medallist from the Tokyo Paralympics, with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-3.
Reid, sidelined from the singles competition after a loss to the third seed Martin de la Puente, reflected on the match, stating, “It was a pretty tricky first set. There were a couple of tight games that could have gone either way. But in the second set, we started to get into our flow and produced some of our best stuff to see the match out.”
In the quad singles draw, Andy Lapthorne reached the semi-finals with a thrilling 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 triumph over Australian Jin Woodman. Lapthorne, a US Open champion in both 2014 and 2019, acknowledged the challenges he faced during the match, particularly in the second set, but was pleased with his ability to bounce back.
The junior competition also showcased young talent, with 18-year-old Ruben Harris advancing to his second junior boys’ doubles final at a Grand Slam event. Partnering with Maximilian Taucher, Harris and his teammate secured a spot in the final by defeating the British duo of Lucas de Gouveia and Japan’s Ryota Kawada with a convincing 6-2, 6-1 win. Reflecting on his experiences, Harris stated, “It’s always a privilege to play out here. Our opponents played well, but me and Maxi found the right level to get through it.”
Harris, who previously lost in the boys’ singles semi-finals to top seed Taucher, is determined to conclude his junior career on a high note.
In other news, Greg Slade faced tough competition, exiting the quad singles quarter-finals and the doubles semi-finals against world No. 1 Niels Vink. Additionally, Lucy Shuker and her Dutch partner Jiske Grifioen also experienced disappointment, falling in the women’s doubles semis to the Chinese second seeds Li Xiaohui and Wang Ziying.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on the final showdowns, promising more thrilling moments from the world of wheelchair tennis.
