Alfie Hewett is a star in the world of wheelchair tennis (Picture: Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images)
British wheelchair tennis sensation Alfie Hewett will be looking to claim his second Wimbledon title at this year’s Championships when he takes on Japan’s top seed Tokito Oda in the wheelchair singles final later today.
Hewett claimed the wheelchair doubles title on the penultimate day of the tournament alongside fellow Brit Gordon Reid with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 win over Oda and teammate Takuya Miki on Court One.
The triumph is the fifth time the pair have won the Wimbledon title together, although the singles title remains the only one missing from his otherwise stunning Grand Slam record.
So with Hewett looking to complete the career set in SW19, let’s take a look at the story behind the Norwich-born player.
Why is Alfie Hewett in a wheelchair?
Hewett was born with a congenital heart defect that saw him undergo surgery when he was just six months old.
Alfie Hewett (L) won the doubles title alongside Gordon Reid on Saturday (Picture: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
The 25 year-old also suffered with Legg–Calvé–Perthes disease, a condition which restricts blood flow from the pelvis to the hip joint.
Whilst Hewett is able to walk, his ability to do so is severely restricted and he has been using a wheelchair since he was six.
What made Alfie Hewett take up wheelchair tennis?
Hewett took up wheelchair tennis to ensure his love of sport remained despite the severe limitations of his disability.
Speaking to Sky Sports on the eve of Wimbledon, Hewett said: ‘It was about 17 years ago now that I picked up a racket and played wheelchair tennis for the first time, so it’s a long time ago now for me.
‘It’s probably the most amazing thing that ever happened to me. It obviously completely changed my life and career path.
‘I was a seven-year-old being told that I was now “wheelchair-bound”, and previous to that, I was a young lad who loved playing football, loved running around, just wanted to win everything.
‘To be told I wouldn’t be doing that any more was devastating, and I couldn’t really process it. So that’s why my mum and family were like: ‘We need to get sport back in his life. He’s clearly missing it.’
‘And wheelchair tennis was one of the sports that I picked up at the time. I also played basketball, archery, swimming – most sports I probably gave a go!’
Hewett added: ‘Finding a purpose again and some enjoyment were big reasons as to why [playing wheelchair tennis], obviously being active and being healthy too. It gave me something to look forward to every week.’
How many Grand Slams has Alfie Hewett won?
Hewett has won seven wheelchair Grand Slam singles titles in his career.
His trophy cabinet includes three US Open titles (2018, 2019, 2022), three French Open titles (2017, 2020, 2021), and one Australian Open (2023).
Hewett has won the Wimbledon wheelchair doubles title five times in his career, including this year’s triumph, for a total of 18 doubles Grand Slam titles.
This includes four Australian Open titles, four French Open titles and five US Open titles.
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