Reid makes history with Queen's Club victory

Tokyo 2021

Gordon Reid’s trophy cabinet is an envy to most on the wheelchair tennis circuit – now he has a piece of history to go alongside it.

The Queen’s Club had never previously hosted a wheelchair tennis match but the Rio 2016 Paralympic champion made the most of a brand new opportunity, getting his men’s singles campaign underway in exemplary style.

It was a performance befitting the occasion for the Brit, coming from two breaks down in the opener to win in straight sets against Nicolas Peifer.

A place in the semi-finals alongside compatriot Alfie Hewett now awaits for Reid but the two were not to have the same luck as their doubles tournament began with defeat.

Just taking to the court ensured Reid was breaking new ground but the Brit was not just there for the occasion, prevailing 7-6 7-5 against Frenchman Peifer.

But he far from had things his own way in the capital, trailing 5-2 with his opponent serving for the set early on proceedings.

Hewett and Reid took to the doubles court at Queen's for the first time

Double duty for Reid at Queen's

Reid is not a two-time singles Slam winner for nothing however, battling his way to 6-6 to force a first-set tiebreak – winning that 7-1 to move within one set of victory.

The second was to prove equally dramatic as Reid, who beat Hewett en route to Paralympic gold two years ago, battled into a 5-2 lead with a chance to serve for the match.

But Feifer is no slouch either and forced the contest back to 5-5, only for the Brit to take the remaining two games to secure his place in the semi-finals.

His historic moment is rewarded with a last-four tie with Stephane Houdet, who received a bye in the quarter-finals.

The same fate fell upon the shoulders of top seed Hewett, straight through to the last four where a tie with Stefan Olsson.

The British duo were not quite to have the same good fortune in their doubles clash however, losing out to Peifer and Houdet in straight sets.

That is far from the end of Reid and Hewett’s doubles adventure, however, with the competition being played in round-robin format, returning to the court on Saturday to face Daniel Caverzaschi and Olsson.

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