GORDON REID made history at the French Open last Saturday as he became part of the most successful all-British partnership in Grand Slam competition.

The Helensburgh hero and his long-time doubles partner Alfie Hewett produced a record-breaking performance to beat the French pair of Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Piefer 6-3, 6-0 in the men’s wheelchair final at Roland Garros.

In winning their second successive men’s doubles title in Paris, top seeds Hewett and Reid claimed their 11th Grand Slam title, thereby surpassing the 10 Grand Slam titles won by brothers Laurie and Reginald Doherty between 1897 and 1905.

It’s also their sixth successive Grand Slam doubles triumph – an incredible run that stretches all the way back to the US Open at Flushing Meadows in September 2019.

After their most comprehensive win over Rio Paralympic champions Houdet and Peifer, who the British pair have now beaten in four of those six finals, Reid said: “I think we were just a lot tighter with our mistakes today, we didn’t give as many cheap points away.

“We sustained the pressure with our movement, following our short balls in to make them hit targets. I think we were just more solid than them and we were more patient.”

READ MORE: Helensburgh Cricket Club's high hopes for normal season as play resumes

Hewett and Reid recovered from a set down in their semi-final against Gustavo Fernandez and Shingo Kunieda on Saturday, but a sequence of five games without reply in the opening set against Houdet and Peifer laid the foundations for a more polished performance.

Hewett said: “I think what we’re doing as a doubles partnership is very special within wheelchair tennis. We’ve created a good bond on court. Obviously the last four or five slams have proved that.

“We’re a force to be reckoned with right now. To have the results come through and so convincingly today, it speaks volumes for how far we’ve come.”

After earning the British record that had stood since 1905, Hewett added: “It was a long time ago. I don’t think it [tennis] is quite the same now. But to still have those titles is very pleasing for us.”

The duo’s record-breaking doubles crown more than made up for Reid’s disappointment in the singles competition at Roland Garros; the former Hermitage Academy pupil was beaten 6-7, 2-6 by the world singles number one, Japan’s Shingo Kunieda, who went on to lose to Hewett in the final.