HELENSBURGH'S Gordon Reid secured his first ever grand slam singles title by edging out Belgium's Joachim Gerard in the wheelchair final of the Australian Open.

Gordon, 24, was playing the first singles final of his career but showed no signs of nerves as he overcame Gerard 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 to be crowned champion in Melbourne.

Gordon contracted Transverse Myelitis - a disease affecting the spinal chord - aged 13 and wondered if he would ever be able to pick up a racket again.

He said: "Winning a grand slam was never the goal when I started playing.
"I just wanted to get back involved in sport and get active again. I never even dreamt... to be honest, I didn't even know wheelchair tennis existed.
"But as time went on I realised I could be quite good at this."

After completing victory in an hour and 37 minutes, Reid flung his racket into the sky before punching the air in celebration.

Davis Cup captain Leon Smith was also in the stands, as well as Reid's coach Karen Ross, who has worked with him for nine years.

Gordon arrives home in Helensburgh on Tuesday and can expect a hero's welcome from his parents and two brothers and sister, who have all stayed up to watch his matches.

He added: "Everybody is waiting for me. Everybody was setting their alarms for 2.30 in the morning back home.
"They were all up watching it on the live player so my phone has just about blown up I think with all the messages.

"They've all booked their flights to Rio for the Paralympics in September so it's always amazing to have their support. It just makes everything a bit more special."

Gordon has also struck up a rapport with Andy and Jamie Murray, who can make it a Scottish treble this weekend, with Jamie into the final of the men's doubles later on Saturday and Andy playing Novak Djokovic in the singles on Sunday.

Gordon added: "It's great to have their support. I saw Andy and Jamie in the locker room just after my match and I got a big congratulations from them."

The real celebrations, however, had to wait as Reid was due on court for the wheelchair doubles final, where he and partner Shingo Kunieda were unfortunately defeated by French pair Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer.