A Statement Opening Round
Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid wasted no time making their intentions clear at the US Open wheelchair doubles in New York. The British top seeds dispatched France's Stephane Houdet and China's Zhenxu Ji with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 scoreline, booking their place in the semifinals without breaking much of a sweat. The result continues a remarkable partnership that has now accumulated 25 Grand Slam doubles titles together, a figure that underlines just how dominant these two have been over the years.
The duo, who have lifted the US Open wheelchair doubles trophy five times previously, are chasing a sixth title at Flushing Meadows. Their next opponents will be a serious test: Japan's Tokito Oda and Argentina's Gustavo Fernandez, who claimed this very title in 2025. Both Hewett, 28, and Reid, 34, are also set to begin their individual singles campaigns on Wednesday, meaning a busy week lies ahead for the British pair.
British Success and Tough Losses Across the Draws
Elsewhere in the wheelchair competition, Andy Lapthorne gave Britain another reason to celebrate. Competing in the quad wheelchair doubles alongside South African partner Leon Els, Lapthorne overcame Americans David Wagner and Andrew Bogdanov 7-6 (7-5), 6-1, a solid winning start to the final Grand Slam of the season.
However, Greg Slade and Australia's Heath Davidson endured a tough afternoon, falling 6-0, 6-0 to top seeds Niels Vink of the Netherlands and Israel's Guy Sasson. That dominant pair have now won all three Grand Slam tournaments in 2026 and six consecutive majors overall, establishing themselves as the clear force in quad wheelchair doubles. TennisDraw users tracking the wheelchair draws will want to keep a close eye on both semifinals as the competition heats up.
