On a great weekend for the Tennis Foundation’s Wheelchair Tennis World Class Programme, Jordanne Whiley and Japan’s Yui Kamiji also made their own piece of history at the third Grand Slam of the year when the second seeds became the first partnership to win a hat-trick of Wimbledon ladies’ doubles titles.
Jordanne Whiley (Photo: Tennis Foundation)
Whiley and Kamiji, the 2014 and 2015 champions, played Dutch top seeds Jiske Griffioen and Aniek van Koot in the ladies’ doubles final for the fourth successive year. The Brit-Japanese partnership put together a string of four games in a row in the first set and five games in a row in the second set to close out a 6-2, 6-2 victory and their eighth Grand Slam doubles title together.
“We’re both in a bit of shock if I’m honest,” said Whiley. “We never thought we could win three in a row as Jiske and Aniek are so strong but today I really felt like we played the best tennis at a Grand Slam. To win at Wimbledon is so special and the crowd today were brilliant. We just love being on court with each other and love playing with each other.”
Gordon Reid Wimbledon Singles Champion (Photo: Tennis Foundation)
Meanwhile Gordon Reid made Wimbledon history again on Sunday (having already made history in becoming the first all-British partnership to win the Wimbledon wheelchair men’s doubles on Saturday) when he became the first ever wheelchair tennis men’s singles champion at The Championships. The British No.1 Reid defeated Sweden’s’ Stefan Olsson in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 to win his second Grand Slam singles title.
World No.3 Reid took control early on in the first set and won it comfortably 6-1. After both players traded breaks of serve in the second set Reid took his opportunities to lead 5-3. Two games later successive errors from Olsson gave Reid two match points and although he hit a double fault on his first opportunity to seal the title, the 24-year-old Scot fired down an unreturnable serve to seal his place in the Wimbledon history books after 69 minutes.
Reid & Hewett Champions! (Photo: Tennis Foundation)
“To win Wimbledon is an absolute dream. To do it here in front of the people I love, my friends and family, my coaches, with so much support. It’s great,” said Reid. “I got tight on my first match point but on my second one I just forced myself to breathe and relax. I’ll never forget this moment, it’s incredible and such a special moment. To be able to play singles here at Wimbledon is brilliant; I’ve had worse weekends for sure!”
Reid’s historic singles achievement follows his doubles title from Saturday when he and Alfie Hewett became the first all-Brit partnership to win the Wimbledon wheelchair tennis men’s doubles title.
Hewett and Reid lost the first set but the Brits earned themselves a double break in the second set before Hewett levelled the contest with a second serve ace.
Gordon Reid Alfie Hewett celebration (Photo: Tennis Foundation)
Hewett and Reid broke Peifer’s serve in the deciding set and both home favourites served for the match before coming from behind to force the tie-break.
Hewett fired two forehand winners to bring up his and Reid’s first two match points and, seconds later, their third match point as they eventually wrapped up a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(6) victory in their first Grand Slam tournament together.
“It’s an amazing feeling. I was trying to keep focussed at the end and play smart and we managed to nick it there in the tie breaks,” said Reid. “We both stepped up well and played good tennis when we needed to. It’s not a bad way to start our Grand Slam doubles career together, we’ve put a lot of hard work in over the last few years and it’s paid off big time!”
“It’s incredible to win my first Grand Slam title, I can’t even remember match point, I don’t know whether I hit the ball or Gordon did, it’s all a blur if I’m honest,” added Hewett. “The support from the crowd today was amazing and really helped us out after going to that tie break in the third set having led 5-2. It’s not sunk in yet and I think it will take a while to realise that I’m a Wimbledon Champion.”
While Saturday’s victory brought 18-year-old Hewett his first Grand Slam title, it was a fourth Grand Slam doubles title for Reid.
Report courtesy of the Tennis Foundation
