Japanese teenager Tokito Oda made history by winning the Wimbledon wheelchair title with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory against Alfie Hewett on Sunday.
Aged 17 years and 69 days, Oda is the youngest man to win a Wimbledon singles title in any discipline.
He is also the youngest player to win a Wimbledon singles title since 16-year-old Martina Hingis lifted the women’s trophy in 1997.
“This is so amazing. I didn’t expect this amazing support on this court. I am feeling like I’m living in a dream. I’m so happy,” Oda said.
Also Read: Wimbledon 2023 Final Live Score: Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic updates
“I want to thank Alfie and his support team. It was not easy playing in this situation against a country’s home player.
“He is one of the strongest players and I have played him many times. It’s really tough playing with him.”
Oda’s Wimbledon victory brought him a second Grand Slam title after he won last month’s French Open.
That success made him the youngest man to win a Grand Slam tournament in any discipline and also the youngest world number one in the history of wheelchair tennis.
Oda is too young to drink alcohol legally so he had to settle for toasting his celebration with a glass of water instead of the champagne he would have preferred.
“I am still 17, I wanted to open the champagne, but I couldn’t so maybe I will have sparkling water with my team,” he said.
Britain’s Hewett won the Wimbledon wheelchair doubles title with Gordon Reid on Saturday.
Also Read: Wimbledon final: History on ‘hungry’ Djokovic’s mind, No. 1 Alcaraz aims to shed Serb fear
But the 25-year-old lost the singles final for a second successive year as 11 double faults among his 19 unforced errors gifted the title to Oda.
“First of all, congrats to Tokito and your team. What a performance out there today, and I hope you enjoy yourselves later on,” Hewett said.
“I feel like wheelchair tennis is being put on the map at Wimbledon.”
Comments
SHARE