GORDON REID says he has no intention of easing up as he and Alfie Hewett continue on their quest for yet more success.

The Helensburgh hero and his fellow Brit made it a remarkable 10th Grand Slam title in a row with victory in the French Open final at Roland Garros – in the process becoming the most successful men’s wheelchair doubles partnership in the history of the tournament.

And the former Hermitage Academy pupil says he and Hewett are still hungry for more.

The duo had to dig deep for victory in Paris, beating Gustavo Fernandez of Argentina and Shingo Kunieda of Japan 7-6(5) 7-6(5) to win their third successive Roland Garros crown, moving one victory ahead of a group of accomplished partnerships who have won two men’s doubles titles in the French capital since wheelchair tennis first became part of the tournament schedule in 2007.

Reid, 31, who now has five Roland Garros men’s doubles titles to his name after also securing back-to-back victories partnering Kunieda in 2015 and 2016, said: “It’s obviously a record that we are really proud of.

“It just shows our level of consistency. That is difficult to achieve in any sport.

 

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid won their 10th Grand Slam mens wheelchair doubles title in a row with victory in the French Open final at Roland Garros on Sunday (Photo - Lawn Tennis Association)

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid won their 10th Grand Slam men's wheelchair doubles title in a row with victory in the French Open final at Roland Garros on Sunday (Photo - Lawn Tennis Association)

 

“Yeah, something that we are really pleased with. But at the end of the day it’s just another Grand Slam title that we are trying to fight to win.

“Whether it’s the 10th or whatever number, you know, we still enjoy it, still appreciate it. Obviously, we are not stopping here. We are going for more.”

The British top seeds, whose third Australian Open title in January took them one clear of Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver’s record of eight Grand Slam titles in a row, were playing their first competitive tournament since that win at Melbourne Park, with Reid having used the intervening time to undergo rehabilitation for a wrist injury.

Now having won a total of 15 Grand Slam titles together with Reid since the first of their four titles at Wimbledon in 2016, Hewett said: “I think this is probably one of the best victories that we have had together. Gordy was saying earlier, it’s probably like 50, 60 percent out there today, and we’re still able to take home the title.

“It’s a great feeling. To come off the back of not playing with this guy for four months and to return with the level we brought to the court today is, I think, seriously impressive and a real showcase of how good our sport can be.

 

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid won their 10th Grand Slam men’s wheelchair doubles title in a row with victory in the French Open final at Roland Garros on Sunday (Photo - Lawn Tennis Association)

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid won their 10th Grand Slam men’s wheelchair doubles title in a row with victory in the French Open final at Roland Garros on Sunday (Photo - Lawn Tennis Association)

 

“I thought it was a really entertaining doubles final and I really enjoyed playing in it. It’s a great relief to get over the line and get the number 10 in a row.”

Hewett and Reid’s remarkable partnership saw them through a tense contest against 2019 French Open champions Fernandez and Kunieda, the Brits coming from 3-1 down in the opening set, which Hewett clinched on the second of two set points with one of his trademark topspin backhands winners.

At 5-4 in the second set Hewett and Reid had their first two match points but they were made to work for the title: with both Brits pulling out crucial shots at key points through the match, Hewett delivered an exquisite dropshot to give a 4-2 cushion in the second set tie-break and the Brits drew a forehand error from Fernandez’s racquet to wrap up victory after two hours and 20 minutes.

Reid – whose singles campaign at Roland Garros ended with defeat at the hands of up-and-coming Japanese star Tokito Oda in the quarter-finals – is back in action this week at the French Riviera Open.

His Nice singles campaign began with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Austria’s Nico Langmann in round one, setting up a last eight tie against Ruben Spaargaren of the Netherlands after the Advertiser went to press on Wednesday.

Hewett and Reid and fellow Brits and 2022 Roland Garros entries Andy Lapthorne and Lucy Shuker are supported by the LTA’s Wheelchair Tennis Performance Pathway.