British wheelchair tennis sensation Alfie Hewett will be looking to claim the only major honour missing from his bulging trophy cabinet at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Having claimed the Wimbledon singles title for the first time in his career earlier this summer, Hewett is gunning for gold on the clay courts of Roland-Garros.
Hewett is also in action in the French capital alongside long-term tennis partner Gordon Reid, as they look to go one better than the silver they claimed in Tokyo three years ago.
Hewett’s story is one of determination, with his life-long disability not stopping him from fulfilling his sporting dreams.
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.
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.
‘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,’ Hewett told Sky Sports on the eve of last year’s Wimbledon.
‘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 nine wheelchair Grand Slam singles titles in his career.
As well as his Wimbledon triumph from this year, his trophy cabinet includes four US Open titles (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023), three French Open titles (2017, 2020, 2021), and one Australian Open (2023).
Hewett has also won 21 Grand Slam doubles titles; five at each of the Australian Open, French Open and US Open and six at Wimbledon.
The tennis star also won a silver medal in singles at the 2016 Paralympics and silver in the doubles in 2016 and 2021.