Alfie Hewett was unable to complete a career ‘Golden Slam’ in singles, failing to convert a gold-medal point as he lost a thrilling Paralympic wheelchair tennis men’s singles final.
The 26-year-old was beaten 6-2 4-6 7-5 by Japan’s Tokito Oda at Roland Garros.
A sliced drop shot from Hewett floated just wide on match point on Oda’s serve at 3-5 in the final set, with the Briton then unable to serve out victory.
Hewett acknowledged that the miss on gold-medal point led to him “losing grip of the match”.
He added: “Maybe it wasn’t the wrong decision but did it need to be so fine in the moment? I don’t know. It looked like he wasn’t even close to it.
“It probably did affect me, because he saved a match point in the Paralympics and rather than letting that deflate him or put weight on his shoulders it brought out some of his best tennis – and he loves a comeback just as much as I love a comeback. I could recognise that.”
The Paralympics singles gold remains the only major title in the sport that Hewett is yet to win.
Oda, 18, secured victory on his own second match point and lay back on the clay in celebration, pulling the wheels off his chair as he did so.
Hewett then came around to the other side of the net and picked up a wheel so Oda could reattach it.
The pair shared a warm embrace while the packed crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier gave both players a long and loud ovation after an outstanding match.
“Obviously deep down, to be one point away and miss that opportunity, it’ll stick with me of course,” said Hewett.
“You don’t just move on from something like that overnight. But it’s all about perspective, about looking at the good things that today brought.”
