THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 10, 2022

Alfie Hewett

Press Conference

S. KUNIEDA/A. Hewett

4-6, 7-5, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Alfie, another tough day for you. Give us your thoughts on how you're feeling.

ALFIE HEWETT: I don't know, being honest. It's a tough defeat to take. I had chances in the second and third set to serve it out.

Pretty disappointed not to step up to the occasion. But I think a lot of credit goes to Shingo who put a massive, massive effort to come back and not give up.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You talked about you wanted to see progress. We saw progress on the court today. Reflecting on it, you were painting on the lines, what progress can you see you've made on this surface? I know it's your toughest one.

ALFIE HEWETT: So much progress. I think today, it's not even the tennis I'm happy about; it's the way I was able to get up out of bed this morning when I've never felt like this before, to be able to compete for another three hours and a bit. I went to a mental place that I've probably never been before.

To keep fighting and to keep motivated, obviously it's Wimbledon and it's the home support, but it's been a difficult couple of days. Amazing couple of days, don't get me wrong. It's come at a price.

Absolutely incredible the experience I've had this championships. The tennis, of course, I've reached the final for the first time, which I've struggled with. Was two points away from maybe getting my hands on the title.

I can take so much confidence from that and use that for future years that I can do it.

Q. (Question about the increased standard of wheelchair tennis this year.)

ALFIE HEWETT: Yeah, no, I think the crowd and the exposure, the media, all of it, it's been the best year for us as Brits. Hopefully for our sport moving forward we can use it as a platform because it will do wonders for our sport.

Of course, me personally, my following, the fans, they really got behind me. I could feel the personal side to it today. That came from what happened a couple days ago. To see it pretty much packed, sort of middle of that match, just speaks volumes really.

Q. After Queen's you said, I really didn't have enough stamina today. After the number of hours you spent on court this week, can anybody say you don't have stamina?

ALFIE HEWETT: I put in a good shift after Queen's. I didn't prepare myself for two-, three-and-a-half-hour matches. I remember having that conversation with my team the following Monday saying I need to get ready for at least one two-and-a-half-hour match. I wish I had a two-and-a-half-hour match... It's been anything but that.

To have a three-hour-plus match on grass is unheard of really because the points are a lot shorter normally. I'd like to see the stats of the match duration in previous Wimbledons because I can guarantee it's not that. So to have them back to back the way I have this week...

I'm not injured. That's the real promising thing, is my body could obviously put up with it. But today just couldn't get over the line. When I was in the 5-2 up or 5-3 up, everything seemed to be going my way, I just couldn't get that one extra point at 30-Love. That's something I'll have to look back on and see why.

I gave it everything out there today. No one can take that away from me. Proud of my efforts.

Q. You have to be hungry to take a step further next year.

ALFIE HEWETT: Yeah, yeah, of course. I wanted to be the first guy to win all the slams, singles and doubles, but Shingo has beaten me to that now. That's the nature of the sport. Many congratulations to him.

My time will come, whether it's next year or a couple of years. I do believe there will be my name on that trophy one day. Not this year, but there's many more hopefully championships to go.