Hewett and Reid begin US Open doubles defence with straight-sets win
Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid started their bid for a sixth US Open wheelchair doubles title with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Stephane Houdet and Zhenxu Ji. They will face the 2025 champions in the semi-finals. Andy Lapthorne also won his quad wheelchair doubles opener, but Greg Slade and Heath Davidson lost.
The British pair's convincing win sets up a clash with the reigning champions from the previous year. Their long-standing partnership has produced an impressive collection of major trophies, and they stand two victories away from another title in New York. Both players will turn their attention to their individual draws later this week.
In the quad division, Lapthorne and Els recovered from a tight opening set to take control of the match. Meanwhile, Slade and Davidson faced a daunting task against the top seeds, who have remained unbeaten across the last six Grand Slam tournaments, including all three majors this year.
The sustained success of established wheelchair tennis teams could elevate the profile of adaptive sports, potentially inspiring more disabled individuals to take up the game. High-profile results may attract increased media attention and sponsorship, which could improve resources for training and competition. However, the dominance of a few elite pairs might expose competitive imbalances, prompting organizers to consider pathways that nurture emerging talent globally.