Hewett going for first Australian title after thrashing Houdet
Alfie Hewett will go for a first Australian Open singles title after racing past Frenchman Stephane Houdet in the men’s wheelchair semi-finals.
Hewett was told late last year that he was clear to carry on his career after a decision that he did not meet classification markers was reversed, and he has wasted no time in taking advantage.
Hewett needed just 58 minutes to see off Houdet 6-1, 6-1 and he will again clash with big rival Shingo Kunieda of Japan in the final.
This will be their fifth meeting in a grand slam final, with the pair currently locked at 2-2, while Hewett will look to go one better than last year in Melbourne, when he was beaten by Joachim Gerard.
Lucy Shuker and Andy
Lapthorne both fell in their respectivesemi-finals,though.
Shuker was beaten 6-0, 7-5 by top seed Diede De Groot while Lapthorne lost 6-3, 6-0 to Australian hero Dylan Alcott in the quad division.
Alcott, who is playing in his final tournament, is one of the country’s most popular sports stars and, after beating Lapthorne, he headed to the airport to board a flight to Canberra for the Australian of the Year awards.
He had pessimistic about his chances but was named the winner and travelled back to Melbourne ahead of tomorrow’s final with a trophy already under his arm.
He said: “I talked to my team. I was like, ‘Look, if by the very odd chance you have a win, you cannot do that on Zoom’.
“So many people with disability should have won that award over the years but haven’t. I would never forgive myself if I don’t go.”