Alfie Hewett enjoyed the rare challenge of facing an unfamiliar opponent at the Paralympics.
The wheelchair tennis star from Norwich has already competed against most of his rivals but encountered a new challenge in the men’s doubles quarter-finals at Paris 2024, teaming up with Gordon Reid.
Hewett and Reid had never played against the Dutch duo, Ruben Spaargaren and Maarten Ter Hofte, before their match in the last eight at the Roland Garros tournament.
The British pair started strong, quickly taking a 5-0 lead in the first set. However, Spaargaren and Ter Hofte, aged 25 and 20, started to push back.
Eventually, Hewett and Reid found the right strategy, winning 6-2, 6-1 in just 1 hour and 35 minutes.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Hewett, who is part of Aldi’s Nearest and Dearest program in partnership with ParalympicsGB. This program helps athletes focus on their performance by maximizing support and minimizing distractions.
“We’ve never played against them before, which is quite rare. We usually play the same pairs on the tour, so facing a new challenge with some uncertainty about what they would bring was something we looked forward to.
“We started strong, and they improved as the match went on. I’m glad we raised our level when they did, which made for a really good match.
“There were many long games that we won, and it was a great test for us going into the next match.”
Hewett and Reid enjoyed playing in front of a lively crowd, which felt more like Disneyland than Wimbledon.
The Paris 2024 organizers brought in busloads of schoolchildren to fill the seats, and the umpire had to remind the crowd to quiet down at the start of the second set.
“I think that’s what the Paralympics is all about,” said Hewett. “It’s about showcasing not just wheelchair tennis, but a variety of disability sports to a generation that might not normally watch them.
“I feel like the Parisians and others are really getting behind it, supporting the movement, and embracing it. Being in Paris has been one of my favorite career experiences so far. I’m loving every moment.”
Hewett and Reid now need to focus on their singles quarter-finals but have also set up a semifinal match against familiar opponents, France’s Frederic Cattaneo and Stephane Houdet, who will likely have strong support from the home crowd.
“It was one of our dreams before the tournament to play against the local favorites,” said Reid. “We’ll be ready.”
Aldi is a proud Official Partner of Team GB & ParalympicsGB, supporting all athletes on their journey to Paris 2024.