Roland Garros 2025 Highlights
The prestigious Roland Garros tournament, set to unfold from May 25 to June 8, 2025, witnessed a remarkable performance from Alfie Hewett and his doubles partner Gordon Reid as they secured their sixth consecutive title in men’s wheelchair doubles. The top-seeded British duo triumphed over the Japanese competitor Tokito Oda and France’s Stephane Houdet with a final score of 6-4, 1-6, 10-7.
Doubles Victory
This victory came on the heels of a tough singles match for Hewett, who faced Oda, the world number one, earlier in the day, ultimately losing 6-4, 7-6 (8-6). Hewett, only 27 years old, expressed his elation after the doubles win, stating,
“It never gets dull winning these trophies.”
The match showcased the duo’s resilience as they initially took a strong lead in the first set but stumbled in the second. Their opponents, Oda and Houdet, competing together for the first time, showed remarkable tenacity by breaking their serve multiple times to push the match into a deciding tiebreak.
The match saw a moment of concern when Reid required a three-minute medical timeout to address a thumb injury at 3-1 in the second set. However, the British pair rallied, winning six consecutive points to overturn a 4-7 deficit in the tiebreak, with Hewett delivering a decisive cross-court forehand to clinch victory at 10-7, maintaining their dominance on French soil. Reid praised Hewett’s performance, saying,
“Alfie did an amazing job to come back from his match earlier and produce a performance like that. It’s always a pleasure to have him on my side of the net.”
Singles Match Disappointment
Earlier in the competition, Hewett faced disappointment as he fell to Oda in his fourth major singles final, having not won at this level since 2021. The singles match saw Hewett start poorly, falling behind 4-1 before showing resilience to tie the set. However, Oda’s strong play in the second set, including a serve at 5-4 to potentially close the match, kept the pressure on. Despite Hewett’s efforts to remain competitive, Oda took the crucial tiebreak, cementing his place among the few players to win the men’s wheelchair singles title three times at the French Open, joining legends Shingo Kunieda and Hewett himself.
Conclusion
This event not only highlighted their competitive spirit but also expanded the narrative of excellence at one of tennis’s most revered championships. Coverage will continue across various platforms including BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website throughout the tournament.
