Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid once again made history on Saturday (7th June) as their phenomenal partnership added a 23rd Grand Slam wheelchair tennis doubles title to the record books. The British duo triumphed dramatically at Roland Garros, defeating France’s Stephane Houdet and Japan’s Tokito Oda in a nail-biting final: 6-4, 1-6, (10-7).
Their victory wasn’t just another trophy — it marked a milestone in dominance. The win ensures that Alfie and Gordon now hold an unbroken streak of six consecutive titles at both the French Open and Australian Open, a feat unmatched in men’s wheelchair doubles.
A wheelchair tennis match of momentum shifts
The match opened confidently for the British pair. Strong service games allowed Alfie and Gordon to build a commanding 4-1 lead, which they rode to claim the first set.
But the tide turned in the second, as their grip on key deuce points weakened. Houdet and Oda surged back, leveling the match and setting the stage for a dramatic decider.
It was in the final-set tie-break that Alfie and Gordon’s championship mentality shone through. Down 5-1, the reigning Paralympic gold medallists staged a thrilling comeback. Alfie sealed the win with a cross-court forehand aimed at Tokito’s chair, a bold shot the Japanese player couldn’t counter. The crowd erupted as the pair clinched yet another title together.
“It never gets dull”
For Gordon, the win brought his 29th Grand Slam title and eighth French Open doubles crown. In his post-match remarks, he was quick to credit his partner and the crowd:
“Thank you to Alfie, you’ve done an amazing job to come back from the (singles final) earlier and put in a performance like that. It’s always a pleasure to have him on my side of the net. I want to say a big thanks to everyone who came in to watch, you guys created such an amazing atmosphere that we love to play in front of. Thank you, too, to our team; all of you have worked so hard this week, and obviously back home, for moments like this.”
Alfie, now with 33 Grand Slam titles to his name, echoed the sentiment:
“I don’t really know if there’s much else to say, apart from a big thanks to Gio (Reid’s nickname). That’s number six for us – it never gets dull winning these trophies. Thank you to the team and you guys for the support. We’ll be back next year.”
A day of mixed fortunes
Earlier in the day, Alfie had been eyeing a fourth men’s singles title in Paris, but narrowly missed out. Despite a valiant effort, he lost 6-4, 7-6(6) to Tokito Oda, after clawing back from 5-3 down to force a second-set tie-break.
Still, the doubles victory ensured the day ended on a high note for Alfie and Gordon — two champions whose legacy in wheelchair tennis continues to grow with every tournament.
You can find out more about the Team GB wheelchair tennis squad by visiting the LTA website and following LTA on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.