Hewett and Reid retain US Open title as Lapthorne triumphs in quad doubles final

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid retained their US Open men’s wheelchair doubles title on a Super Saturday for the Brits after fighting back from a set down to triumph at Flushing Meadows.

The duo made it back-to-back Grand Slam titles as they followed up their victory at Wimbledon by beating top seeds Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer 5-7 6-3 11-9.

It was far from straightforward for the duo, though, who required a match tie-break to beat the French pairing in a late-night finale at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

A rain delay meant the match began a couple of hours after the end of the women’s final and Hewett and Reid got off to a slow start as they found themselves 4-2 down in the opening set.

They saved set points at 6-5 down but Houdet and Peifer eventually converted to claim the first set, before Hewett and Reid raced into an early 3-0 lead in the second set.

The second seeds maintained their advantage to force the deciding match tie-break, in which the pairing exchanged early breaks with Houdet and Peifer.

Hewett and Reid then stretched ahead to earn themselves six match points at 9-3, but they were able to convert until their seventh championship point as they triumphed 11-9.

Their fifth Grand Slam doubles title came after Hewett had earlier completed a 7-6 (2) 6-1 victory over Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez to reach his second successive US Open men’s singles final.

“It was a real battle out there on court, but I couldn’t be happier to come through and make it into my second US Open singles final,” said Hewett before turning his mind to the doubles final.

Earlier, compatriot Andy Lapthorne and American partner David Wagner won the quad doubles title after beating second seeds Dylan Alcott and Bryan Barten 6-3 0-6 10-4.

“It’s great to win my eighth Slam and retain the title and it’s a good way to end the week,” said Lapthorne, who also won the US Open quad singles title in 2014.

“I really enjoyed playing doubles again with David this trip and I look forward to trying to defend the title again next year.”

The top seeds won four break points in the opening set before failing to hold serve in the second, but they dominated the match tie-break as Lapthorne defended his 2017 doubles title.

Meanwhile, Lapthorne also lost 6-4 6-2 to top seed Wagner in the singles competition before his doubles partner went on to win the title.