Gordon Reid has week to remember with double success in Japan

Gordon Reid’s confidence is sky-high after he secured wheelchair tennis singles success at the Japan Open Super Series on Saturday to follow up his doubles triumph with Alfie Hewett 24 hours earlier.

The Rio 2016 Paralympic champion defeated world No.3 Shingo Kunieda of Japan 6-4 4-6 6-1 in Iizuka to make it back-to-back Japan Open Super Series men’s singles wheelchair tennis titles.

Reid, who reached Saturday’s final after four straight-set wins, leaves Asia with three titles in two weeks after winning the men’s singles at last week’s Korea Open ITF 1 Series.

“It means a lot to me to win the Japan Open for a second year running,” he said.

“Shingo is always a tough opponent and somebody I enjoy sharing the court with, so it was a great moment for me in front of a fantastic crowd.

“Taking the title is the perfect end to this tour for me and I’m looking forward to taking this confidence into the rest of the tournaments over the summer.”

Reid had beaten fellow Brit Hewett 6-2 6-3 in the singles semi-final but the pair were on the same side of the net when they claimed the men’s doubles title without dropping a set.

The top seeds beat second-seeded Gustavo Fernandez, of Argentina, and Kunieda 7-6 6-4 in the final with Reid reclaiming the title he last won in 2015 alongside Kunieda.

Former Australian Open and Wimbledon men’s singles champion Reid and reigning Roland Garros singles champion Hewett will now return to Paris for the second Grand Slam of 2018 in early June.

However, before then they will lead the Great Britain men’s challenge at the BNP Paribas World Team Cup, which takes place in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, from May 28.