MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 26, 2024

Alfie Hewett

Flash Quotes

A. HEWETT/G. Reid

6-2, 6-4

Q. Congratulations on winning your first match. Can you just talk about how you felt out there and also your first experience of the Miami Open wheelchair invitational?

ALFIE HEWETT: Yeah, it's a great feeling to be here, I must admit. I have only been here two days now. I love the experience. There is a real vibe obviously around the grounds. This is obviously the first time wheelchair tennis has been here, and I feel like we have been really welcomed by the event.

Today was just sort of icing on the cake with everything so far. Obviously difficult with the light breeze today. Never easy when you haven't really settled and got a lot of days sort of practicing beforehand.

I think we both did all right considering that, and yeah, looking forward to a final here.

Q. Do you feel like this is a good step in the right direction of getting more 1000 series events to include wheelchair tennis?

ALFIE HEWETT: Absolutely, yeah. There has been opportunities before. Maybe not at a 1000. So Miami have taken the first step to do that, and, you know, if it's successful this week, which hopefully it is, and I feel like so far it's been nothing but a positive, then other tournaments may look at it and think we can also host it.

Obviously there is a lot of reasons behind that whether that can happen or not, but especially events like this where there is so much space, a lot of courts, and it's a two-week tournament, as well, I certainly feel like there is that opportunity to host a wheelchair event. It's only going to be groundbreaking for us and pushing the sport and developing it even further.

Q. Lastly, tomorrow you will be playing Shingo. You haven't played since 2022 US Open final when you won your third US Open title. Are you looking forward to that match and your thoughts on tomorrow?

ALFIE HEWETT: Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, of course. I played him a couple weeks ago in (indiscernible) in the exhibition event there. It was a really tight match, so I expect the same.

Sounds like he never really lost it in 18 months, which just shows the true legend and competitor he really is. Of course I'm going to be excited for that, and hopefully it will be a good one.