Hewett ready for next chapter after achieving major goals
Alfie Hewett had lost in successive Wimbledon singles finals before finally tasting victory this year
- Published
Having chalked off his two remaining major career goals, Great Britain's Alfie Hewett says he now wants to find more enjoyment from playing the sport he loves.
After successive defeats in the final, Hewett won his first Wimbledon wheelchair tennis singles title this summer and followed that up with a gold medal in the men's doubles with partner Gordon Reid at the Paris Paralympics.
"To be sitting here with the two things we targeted at the start of the year is something I'm very proud of," he told 成人快手 Look East.
"I'm not sure what the next chapter is - I'm going to continue playing for sure, but i just want to enjoy it."
Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid have won a career grand slam in men's doubles to go alongside their Paralympics gold medal
Norfolk's Hewett says the pain of the memories of recent defeats drove him on to finally achieve Wimbledon and Paralympic success.
"Both achievements are very meaningful in their own way but losing in the Rio and Tokyo finals with Gordon was a wound we wanted to put right and we did that.
"With Wimbledon it was very similar because the feeling of losing two finals in a row still felt very raw."
The 26-year-old admits he felt the weight of expectation at the All-England Club before beating Spain's Martin de la Puente to complete a career grand slam.
"There are four years between each Paralympics so you have time to get over it and almost forget about it.
"But with Wimbledon it was a build-up of pressure and you're desperate to win so I was glad to get over the line." he said.
Alfie Hewett won a silver medal in the wheelchair singles at this year's Paralympics to go alongside his gold in the doubles with Gordon Reid
Having now achieved his two remaining major targets, Hewett is taking time to consider what is next for him.
"I got involved in the sport because I love it but it turned into a career and it's been quite a stressful year in terms of managing expectations.
"I set the bar so high - where some people would take a runner-up or a silver medal I'm not like that - I want to win all the time and that's maybe not the healthiest way of competing or sustainable." he added.
With nine singles grand slam titles to go with the 21 he has won in doubles, Hewett is considering how he can help raise the profile of wheelchair tennis, while also still competing.
"With the next chapter I want to find that real enjoyment but still have the motivation in the tank.
"I also want to look more at what I can do to keep promoting the sport, that has to be my legacy. As I always said I want to leave the sport in a better place than when I found it."