Alfie Hewett could be forgiven for taking his foot off the gas after 33 Grand Slam titles, a gold medal, and a career Grand Slam.
However, not just content with winning on court, Britain’s number one men’s wheelchair tennis star is also leading innovations off it.
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Alfie Hewett OBE is Britain’s number one men’s wheelchair tennis playerCredit: Getty
At 27, Hewett already has more Grand Slams than Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray combined, such is his dominance in the sport.
Jack Draper’s withdrawal and Emma Raducanu’s early exit have only increased the pre-tournament feeling that he remains Britain’s best hopes of success at Flushing Meadows this month.
Hewett is itching to return to New York after last year’s event was cancelled following a scheduling conflict with the 2024 Summer Paralympics.
“It’s exciting,” The two-time defending champion of the Wheelchair men’s singles at the US Open exclusively told talkSPORT.com.
“Grand Slams only come about four times a year, and this is the last one of the year.
“So it’s not been the ideal preparation with a few injuries that have kept me out of the practice court for a little while in this recent block, but right here, right now, I’m in a good place.
“I think I’ve put all that aside. I’m just trying to get some volume in and trying to get my level to where it needs to be to be able to compete. And what happens next week will happen. But I’m feeling optimistic about being back there.
“It’s a place that I’ve typically done well in the past, and I’ve really enjoyed playing in New York. It’s obviously such a great vibe.
“So whatever happens, it’ll be great to be back there after missing it last year, and I’ll try and give it a good shot.”
Rivals are more than aware of the challenges of toppling Hewett at the Grand Slam level, and thanks to Lexus, so is talkSPORT.com.
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Hewett has gone head-to-head against his own championship-winning serve using a new bespoke machineCredit: Lexus
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Fellow Lexus ambassador Katie Boulter has also had her signature style insertedCredit: Lexus
While the world’s best players will soon battle it out with Hewett at the US Open, talkSPORT.com has already had to withstand his powerful serve.
On the machine, Hewett added: “Yeah, it was exciting because it’s a question that we’ve always asked ourselves, ‘What would it be like to play against something that can replicate yourself and your own ability?’”
“Obviously, Lexus have created this incredible bit of kit which simulates and replicates what it’s like. And I think there were a few things that were really intriguing with how the pace of the ball comes through.
“I could definitely see similarities between the machine and what I do on a practice court or a match court, essentially. So yeah, it was good to get a bit of a feel.
“If anything, it opened up my eyes a little bit to why everyone keeps beating me sometimes.”
“Clearly, yeah [I am annoying to play against],” Hewett joked. “I was getting frustrated. It was definitely a lot more consistent than me, that’s for sure.”
talkSPORT.com verdict on Lexus’s new Signature Shot machine
I’ve seen static tennis ball machines before, machines that fire out the same old shots again and again.
This new Lexus technology not only replicates the specific shots of professional players, but also zooms around the court, changing angles, depth, and pace.
One minute you’re facing an Alfie Hewett drive down the line, the next minute the robot chips a dropshot across court.
It’s really amazing what this tech can do.
Once the robot was winched up into serving position, it was absolutely deadly, firing shots at around 60mph down the service line.
I can only imagine what facing Alfie’s actual serve in the 80s/90s would be like!
Alfie Hewett US Open prize money
That’s an extremely high bar, coming from someone who has reached the final of every Grand Slam this year in BOTH singles and doubles.
Now Hewett arrives at the US Open competing as part of a $1.69 million (£1.25m) total pot for all wheelchair players.
His win rate is a staggering 87 per cent (20-3 in singles) – 86 per cent in doubles (12-2) at the US Open, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary of wheelchair tennis.
One of his chief competitors for his men’s singles crown is ironically Gordon Reid, who will again be his partner in their bid for a sixth US Open men’s wheelchair doubles title.
Discussing how he balances that teammate relationship when he has to face his close friend in the singles, the Paralympic gold medalist admitted: “I definitely think it’s evolved over time.”
Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid
“One, we’ve had to learn as individuals how to manage that, but also as a team, obviously, because a lot of the time you’re going to be playing the singles in the morning and then doubles in the afternoon,” he continued.
“So when we get back together, whether we’ve played against each other or one of us has won or one of us has lost, there could be some slight hangover for that person.
“So being able to get the best out of your partner in that moment, in that situation, is really crucial and sympathising with them because we’ve both been in that position of losing a big match and then having to play again a few hours later.
“And you’re still carrying those disappointing emotions or even ones of elation or fatigue if it’s been a long one. But we’re good friends, and no matter what happens on the singles court, we respect each other as singles players.
“I think there’s always an element of space that’s probably needed beforehand and afterwards to allow that person to focus solely on the individual aspect of it. But if we’ve played each other in, let’s say, a big match, an hour later afterwards, we’ll be together again chatting about the doubles because we want to do well there.”
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Hewett faces US home favourite Charlie Cooper in the singles and doubles with Reid
That connection is part of the reason Hewett has managed to remain so motivated, alongside another evolving relationship – with himself.
“It does change over time [his motivations throughout such a gold-laden career],” Hewett added.
“When I was first starting off in the professional game, it was more about probably just winning. And that was slightly more about the immaturity of where I was at, and just wanting to take all the glory as much as I can.
“So it was very outcome-driven. Over time, obviously, I’ve learned that that’s not necessarily sustainable.
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Hewett and Reid completed the calendar Slam at the US Open in 2021Credit: Getty
“A lot of my motivation now comes from working on things on the practice court and just wanting to be better, to be honest with you.
“Of course, numbers are what people remember at the end of the day, but I think for me to witness how much I’ve improved, whether it be my tennis game, physical game or mental game, and see those developments on the bigger stages like a slam. That’s what gives me real satisfaction.
“To be able to work for weeks on end on something and then be able to demonstrate in a slam final and it be a big factor for why you win, I think, is just as rewarding as the win itself.
“I think that’s why I’m still highly motivated. And even after 33 Grand Slams, we don’t really let off.”
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33 slams, a career grand slam and a gold medal isn’t bad going…Credit: Getty
That mentality is one of many reasons tennis fans were almost as glad as Hewett himself that he was cleared to continue his career in 2021.
Hewett, who underwent surgery at six months for a congenital heart defect, also suffers from a rare hip abnormality, Perthes Disease.
His ability to walk, despite being severely impaired, initially took him outside the revised 2019 International Tennis Federation classification guidelines that would have curtailed his career, before the ITF amended its criteria two years later.
Another four years and 15 Grand Slam wins later, Hewett revealed: “It was a long time ago now. It certainly feels that way.
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Hewett was cleared to continue his career after a change in ITF classification rulesCredit: Getty
“I’ve obviously kicked on and moved on from that whole process. But yes, I learned a lot of lessons during that two-year cycle.
“It was uncomfortable, and it wasn’t easy to continue playing when I knew that potentially there were things that were happening that may or may not dictate my future in the sport, which ultimately you want it to be on your terms. But these things happen, and it happened for the better of the sport.
“So I had to work hard with my psychologists at the time and my team, who were incredibly supportive.
“I tried to just take each event as it came, tried to do as well as I could because I didn’t want it to be an excuse.
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Reid (2nd L) and Hewett (3rd L) met King Charles at Buckingham Palace in NovemberCredit: Getty
“If it were my last year or years on tour, I didn’t want that to be the reason why it was unhappy and more of a disappointment. So I tried to see it all as a glass-half-full rather than a glass-half-empty approach.
“Obviously, the classification changed at the end of 2021, and I was able to continue. So it made me stronger for it, absolutely. It made me appreciate the here and now a lot more and being in the present moment, because you never know when something could be taken away from you.
“That was obviously a classification thing at that time, but it could be an injury in the future or something like that. So yes, it was definitely a big learning curve.”
Hewett has more than made use of the opportunity to keep learning in the years since, even with the slightest of changes.
“I’ve recently changed my rackets to Yonex now,” he continued. “And a big part of that was because I felt like the racket could offer me a couple of man-hours more in my serve. And it comes down to those fine margins at the end of the day.
“I haven’t hit the 100-mile-an-hour mark yet, which has been frustrating me for quite a few years now. That is my target. I want to hit the 100.”
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Hewett will hope his new Yonex racket fires him to glory at Flushing MeadowsCredit: getty
With his mental resilience, there will be little doubt over whether he’ll reach that target.
Hewett added: “It’s weird. I always say I actually feel more comfortable when I’m behind than when I’m in front, because I go into sort of instinct mode, which is I’ve got to change things and I’ve got to change it now.
“It’s almost an element of focus and grit that, you know, just 5-10 per cent more, and that can be the difference.
“Tennis is all about momentum anyway.
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He remains in with a chance of making the No.1 rank in wheelchair singles and doubles this yearCredit: Getty
“So you can be five-nil down, but if you win two games, suddenly it starts putting a doubt in their head, and you start gaining confidence.
“Before you know it, you’re five-all and you’re getting right back into the match. So, yeah, it’s not telling yourself it’s over before it actually is over.
“I have a bank of matches where I’m down and out, and people would probably write me off and say, ‘yeah, this will be done in 20 minutes,’ and I come back.
“It just shows that tennis is literally not over until the last point!”
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