Australian Open 2025: Britain's Alfie Hewett defeats Tokito Oda to win second wheelchair singles title at Melbourne Park
By Becky Hart
Published 25/01/2025 at 10:02 GMT
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Alfie Hewett beat arch-rival Tokito Oda to win his second Australian Open wheelchair singles crown with a 6-4 6-4 victory in Melbourne. It was the Briton’s 10th Grand Slam singles title, and adds to the doubles title he won with partner Gordon Reid yesterday. The result avenged last year’s final, and clearly meant the world to Hewett, who let all his emotions show out on court.
GB's Hewett wins 10th wheelchair singles Grand Slam title - Australian Open highlights
Video credit: TNT Sports
Great Britain’s Alfie Hewett is the Australian Open wheelchair champion again, lifting his 10th Grand Slam wheelchair singles title in Melbourne.
He defeated Japan’s Tokito Oda in the final 6-4 6-4 to win in Melbourne for the second time, following his first success in 2023.
The victory follows his doubles win 24 hours earlier, where he defeated Daniel Caverzaschi and Stephane Houdet with partner Gordon Reid for their incredible 22nd Grand Slam wheelchair doubles title as a partnership.
It was the third-straight year that Hewett and Oda lined up against each other in the final, with Hewett winning in 2023 and Oda getting his revenge in 2024.
Oda also grabbed the gold in Paris last year in the Paralympics, so today’s result was a good one for Hewett as he stopped the 18-year-old’s momentum at the start of what should be a thrilling season, with the duo continuing to battle for major glory.
Hewett’s raw emotion was clear to see when he lifted the trophy, and he touched on just why this Slam win meant so much afterwards.
"I didn't expect me to start blubbering on the court, to be honest, but I'm probably harbouring a few feelings from the last couple of matches that we've played," Hewett told the press.
"Obviously, they've been pretty big ones with them being in Slam finals and the Paralympic final. Anyway, it does knock you deep down, your belief and confidence in the big moments.
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"For me to do it today and prove to myself more than anyone that I can rise to the occasion against a player like him, yeah, it was very overwhelming."
Hewett was keen to explain just how much work he is still putting into his game, refusing to rest on his laurels despite already having an incredible record in the sport.
"There's been a lot of work done behind the scenes to try and just come up with a game plan to be able to beat him," he continued.
"To do it in a Grand Slam final or Paralympic final, which is recently the only time that we have been meeting against each other, it's a different beast entirely, and I haven't been winning that battle with myself.
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Alfie Hewett (L) of Great Britain and Tokito Oda of Japan pose with the trophies on the podium after the Men's Wheelchair Singles Final
Image credit: Getty Images
"He's been winning that, and I feel like I've been going into my shell and not being able to play my best tennis.
"I know it sounds crazy with all the success that I've had, but it's been quite one-sided in the matches that we've faced [each other]: Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, and some of the other ones as well.
"Maybe it was eating away at me a little bit, but ever since then, I have felt that belief and confidence when I go on the court with him. Today, I was just very hungry and motivated to try and showcase what I'm all about from point one."
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