Hewett claims maiden Super Series title

World number one Alfie Hewett added to his impressive wheelchair tennis trophy collection as he took home the Cajun Classic in Baton Rouge.

In the Brit’s first men’s singles Super Series title of his career, the highest ranked player downed Japan’s Shingo Kunieda 6-3 7-6 in Sunday’s final.

Hewett, who won his first Grand Slam singles honour at Roland Garros in June last year, capped a superb week as he hoisted the trophy without dropping a single set.

Hewett clinched the title in Baton Rouge a year ago before the tournament was upgraded to Super Series status this year, making it one of the most prestigious wheelchair tennis events outside of the four Grand Slams.

And the wheelchair tennis ace admits he was determined to beat his Japanese opponent despite feeling the effects of a gruelling tournament.

The Rio Paralympic silver medallist said: “He’s (Kunieda) beaten me the last couple of times so I was really up for it, even though I felt tired.

“He’s had a really good start to the year and played some his best tennis for a long, long while. I knew it was going to be tough and I came out and played some of my best tennis.

“I really focussed on process goals and they paid off this week. I haven’t dropped a set and that’s a very big thing for me, so I can go home very, very happy.”

It was a fine day all round for British wheelchair tennis as Lucy Shuker partnered Diede de Groot of the Netherlands to win the women’s doubles title.

From 5-2 down in the third and deciding set of the final the second seeds launched a stirring comeback to edge out Dutch top seeds Marjolein Buis and Aniek van Koot 2-6 6-3 7-5.

It was the second title in as many weeks for Shuker and de Groot, who also beat Buis and van Koot in the final of last week’s Georgia Open.

“I know I’ve said it before, but I absolutely love playing with Diede, we know how we need to play and even when things aren’t working we work really well together to find our form,” said Shuker.

“We were 5-2 down in the third and even faced a match point, but I know with Diede we will always keep fighting and working.”