4 June 2018

Defending French Open champion Hewett on coping with being the one to beat

A Grand Slam singles winner, two-time Paralympic silver medallist, current world number one – and all before the age of 21.

You could forgive Alfie Hewett if he was tempted to take his eye off the ball slightly after a lightning start to his senior professional wheelchair tennis career.

Instead the Norfolk native will take to the famous red clay of Roland Garros this week keen to demonstrate that his passion to keep pushing forwards and notch up further milestones burns as bright as ever.

It was at the 2017 French Open that Hewett enjoyed one of his career highlights to date, recovering from a set and 2-0 down to beat Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez for his first career Grand Slam singles title.

He afforded himself the luxury of a few pizzas and beers to celebrate – with a men’s doubles final appearance also safely in the locker.

But Hewett could surely not have predicted what else was to come in 2017 as he looked over the Parisian skyline that night – defending his men’s doubles title at Wimbledon before reaching the final of both the singles and doubles – and triumphing at the latter with Gordon Reid – at the US Open.

He then became the first Briton to win the men’s Masters singles title before rising to world number one in January of this year, then reaching the final of the Australian Open doubles.

A highly successful period of tennis – but you won’t catch any complacency from this 20-year-old.

“There is an expectation that comes with being number one,” he said. “But the level in the world right now means anyone can beat anyone and that has proved the case in the last couple of tournaments. The competition is so strong.”

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Being number one is a great place to be but everyone is gunning for you and they all want to beat you.

Alfie Hewett

“Last year was a bit unexpected but great. It was my first year of concentrating 100 per cent on my tennis. To achieve all I did was a little bit of a surprise but there were not all ups, there were some downs as well.

“I’ve just got to take the confidence from those successes and use those around me to help me keep my level up.

“My goal is always to enjoy my tennis and I want to keep doing that. I’m still very young in my career and I’ve got a great team around me.

“I don’t want to add unnecessary pressure onto myself or burden myself. I know how I work best and I know there are still things to work on.”

Hewett will be joined in the men’s singles draw by teammate and close friend Reid, who will also be looking to go one better than the runners-up spot he claimed in 2016.

Hewett makes his return to Roland Garros this week

They also unite as a formidable partnership on the doubles court, having won back-to-back Wimbledon titles, last year’s US Open tournament, not to mention the silver they took at the Paralympic Games in Rio.

Reid would get the better of Hewett in the singles in Brazil – a tournament that came shortly after the latter completed his college education before turning his full attention to tennis.

“I have my targets. I know what I want to achieve, at Slam level, Paralympic level. Once you’ve had that taste of success you want more,” Hewett continued.

“I really want that Paralympic gold. I missed out in Rio. Tokyo is a couple of years away and the Grand Slams are a good measure of how I’m progressing. Getting a gold medal at a Paralympics is always at the back of my mind.

“Rio was such a great success. But the Slams are an opportunity to keep measuring how you are doing and keep enjoying it.”

All eyes on Hewett in Paris for the immediate future then.

“It’s going to be strange going back as the defending champion. Last year was such a great achievement for me,” he said.

“Going back is going to bring back very special memories for me. I want to go there and enjoy the experience. I love the clay and I love Paris.”

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