ROLAND GARROS

June 8, 2024

Alfie Hewett

Gordon Reid

Press Conference

HEWETT-REID/Miki-Oda

6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Alfie, Gordon, congratulations for your victory today. Can you explain us your feelings after this title.

GORDON REID: Yeah, both very happy. We came through a tough match yesterday in the semifinal, so we wanted to try and come out well at the start today. I think we did that, and continued it through the whole match.

Yeah, obviously we came here to try and win the title. To do that again, yeah, we're both going home happy.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Alfie and Gordon, back on your A game today. You were looking confident out there. How did it feel out there in today's final after going through that tough semifinal yesterday?

ALFIE HEWETT: Yeah, it was really enjoyable out there today. Obviously a good atmosphere as well towards the end of the match always helps get sort of the blood pumping. Like you said, we definitely played our brand of tennis, our style of tennis. We wasn't quite able to get to those levels yesterday but it's not every day you can play at your A game.

The important thing was we came out fresh today, and we started the match strong, which we did, and we stuck to the game plan very well. Thankfully it paid off.

Q. A tough team you faced today, as well, a team you could potentially face in the Paralympics in a few months. You turned around the result that you had against them in Japan a few months ago. That must feel good to you, as well.

GORDON REID: Yeah, I mean, that was the last time we played them. Yeah, we were hoping for a little bit of revenge. I think we did that in style today.

Yeah, we know they're one of the strongest teams in the world at the moment. We've faced them a few times recently in big finals. So we're expecting the chances are they're going to do pretty well back here in a couple months as well.

Yeah, hopefully we'll have another chance to play them again.

Q. Congratulations, Alfie and Gordon. So that's your 20th Grand Slam title as a team. Actually, you've equaled a record for Grand Slam doubles titles in any category of tennis in the Open Era. What does it mean to be part of such a strong team to have won so many titles together?

ALFIE HEWETT: Yeah, there's no one else I'd rather play doubles with, clearly. Don't quote that. (Laughter.)

No, I mean, it wasn't something I was aware of going into the match, but obviously to hear it afterwards, it's certainly a proud moment for us as a partnership, and everyone that's helped us get there.

We started this journey back in, I think we said 2013, wasn't it, or '14? We were trying to look back at the results the other day when we first started playing. It's been a long career that we've played, a long time that we've played together now.

I don't think we would have thought that we would be sitting here with 20 Grand Slams. It's quite a thing to do that, and, you know, we work so well together. It's really fun to get out there and play with Gordon. The success is just getting funner and more enjoyable every single time.

We're going to keep striving for more success. Obviously there's one thing we haven't quite got as a partnership yet, but today certainly helps give us a bit of a boost and confidence going into it.

Q. With the Paralympics back here obviously, how much of that was in your mind coming into this tournament? Usually you play Roland Garros and you think, we'll see you in a year. This is a little bit different. Was that in your mind at all this tournament?

GORDON REID: I think for me maybe more around things off the court. We're all here in the same area and staying locally, it's talking about how things are going to look and feel when the Games are on.

But I think once you get on the court, whether it's a practice court or a match court, you're just really focused as any other match in a Grand Slam. Yeah, maybe now we can enjoy it and look forward a little bit farther. Obviously there is a few more big events coming up on grass we need to deal with first.

But no, it's exciting, as Alfie said, to do well here this week, obviously leading into a couple months' time.

Q. Can I also ask you, there has been a wheelchair boys event here this week. What would that have meant to you to be able to come to a place like this and play a boys event to either of you?

ALFIE HEWETT: Yeah, I wish I had that opportunity when I was younger. It's great to see Grand Slams getting on board and putting junior events on for the wheelchair youngsters. It's such an opportunity for them to be able to come to a place like this and get a taste and feel for what it's like.

You know, when I was younger, I saw when I got the chance to go to Wimbledon and visit it just as a spectator. So to then have the ability to actually play in these conditions and be surrounded by, you know, great players, be in the locker room, sharing it with, you know, people that you idolize, it's quite a surreal moment.

You can see the buzz from them all. You know, Ruben Harris, one of our lads, went and won the doubles yesterday, and you can see he's really enjoying it at the moment and loved it out there. That's what it's all about. It's memories that can last a lifetime and hopefully can inspire them to continue their journey and hopefully get more youngsters through the game as well.