Hewett makes his second appearance at the ITF 1 Series World Wheelchair Tennis Tournament in the Netherlands, which starts on Tuesday, buoyed by beating Japan’s world No. 9 Takuya Miki and taking world No. 4 Gustavo Fernandez to three sets in successive tournaments Sydney and Melbourne.
Hewett also won two ITF 2 doubles titles in three weeks partnering fellow Brit Gordon Reid in Australia, the duo defeating Australia’s Ben Weekes and Daniel Rodrigues of Brazil in the finals of both the Queensland Open in Brisbane and the Melbourne Open. Hewett and Reid beat Australian Open-bound duo Maikel Scheffers of the Netherlands and Joachim Gerard of Belgium in the semi-finals at the Melbourne Open to leave Hewett excited for what’s to come for the rest of the season.
“I had a great three weeks in Australia and obviously winning two doubles titles with Gordon and getting more experience playing with him and gelling as a pair was brilliant,” said Hewett. “But I also had some tough draws against current or former world top 10 ranked opponents in each of my singles events and made it through the first round in each.
“To beat Miki for my second career win against a top 10 men’s player was really encouraging, but I also played some very good tennis against Gustavo and am really pleased with the whole three weeks. I got some valuable experience in singles and doubles that will stand me in good stead for the upcoming tournament in Rotterdam.
“I guess the only disappointment was me and Gordon going out in the doubles semis in Sydney to the Japanese pairing of Saida and Sanada, but Saida’s a Paralympic gold medallist in doubles, so it was a tough match,” added Hewett, who also took world No. 8 Sanada to three sets in their singles match in Queensland, having beaten former world No. 3 Saida a day earlier in his opening match of the Australian tour.
At this week’s event in Rotterdam Hewett is one of 12 leading men’s wheelchair tennis players, including seven ranked in the world’s top 10, who are competing alongside some of the top ATP Tour players contesting the World Tennis Tournament.
Hewett, the world No. 1 junior, is one of three Brits on the Tennis Foundation’s Wheelchair Tennis Performance Programme, together with world No. 3 Reid and world No. 11 Marc McCarrolll playing in the prestigious event, for which Hewett was awarded wild card in 2014. This year he has gained direct entry and will partner Gerard in the men’s doubles.
Photo Credit: William A Stewart