“Even in defeat, to experience such affection and backing, this kind of atmosphere is not something we encounter regularly.
“The level of support given to wheelchair tennis is truly amazing.”
From the instant they each broke serve in the opening game, it became evident that this would be a closely contested and stressful encounter between two athletes who frequently clash at this stage of major tournaments.
This marked the seventh instance in the past 10 major finals where they had competed against each other, and the trading of breaks persisted in a tight initial set until Hewett achieved a break in the seventh game, maintained his serve, and then secured the first set with a fourth successive break.
The second set was even more closely fought, featuring further service breaks from both competitors. It appeared destined for a tie-break when Hewett held a break point with Oda leading 6-5, but the Japanese player elevated his performance once again to fend it off and even the score.
From that point forward, he seized the initiative, as the strain of a demanding second set appeared to have had a detrimental effect on Hewett. After securing the initial break in the third game of the deciding set, Oda gained complete control.
Hewett, buoyed by the cheers of the spectators, defended against a match point on his serve, but this only postponed Oda’s victory as he demonstrated his skill to cross the finish line.
“I achieved victory here two years ago; this tournament possesses a unique quality, it is exceptionally beautiful,” he expressed. “I deeply value this moment.”
In a separate event, Niels Vink claimed the Wimbledon quad singles title by defeating his fellow countryman, Sam Schroder, with a score of 6-3, 6-3 on court number three.
Vink, aged 22 and seeded first, added this achievement to his doubles title, which he secured alongside Guy Sasson.
