Shingo Kunieda battles past Alfie Hewett in three sets to win eleventh Australian Open singles title

ByEurosport

Updated 27/01/2022 at 04:29 GMT

Alfie Hewett fought to the very end against the world No 1 in his third Australian Open singles final against the man he beat in the wheelchair doubles final on Wednesday, but he was unable to stop the Japanese player from sealing his 11th Australian Open singles title in two hours and 12 minutes. Stream the 2022 Australian Open live and on-demand on discovery+.

Shingo Kunieda defeats Alfie Hewett to win the Australian men’s wheelchair singles title 7-5 3-6 6-2 on Court 8.

Hewett, who won his ninth consecutive wheelchair doubles title with Gordon Reid on Wednesday, was unable to follow it up with singles success as Kunieda proved was too good on the day.

The Japanese No 1 seed was too good for the Brit, particularly behind his first serve, and has sealed his 47th Grand Slam title overall.

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"I'm not sure how much I've got left in the tank, I'm exhausted," Hewett said after the match.

"What a battle out there today. Extremely gutted to not be sitting where Shingo is right now. A lot of good training went in recently.

"Thanks to my team who have been here the last three weeks. It means a lot. We will come back stronger hopefully next year.

"Congratulations from Shingo, unbelievable in that third set today. He's a well deserved winner."

Highlights: Britain's Hewett and Reid seal memorable wheelchair doubles crown

Kunieda got off to the perfect start as he broke Hewett on his opening service game. It was gifted to the Japanese player as Hewett conceded the break by double faulting.

Hewett did break back, though, winning the fifth game with a fine forehand winner before holding his serve to make it 3-3.

Both players fought hard to the end and was in the twelfth game that Kunieda capitalised, taking the set with a forehand winner.

Hewett stormed back in the second set and reeled off four games in a row to take a commanding lead. Kunieda pulled a break back to make it 4-2, but Hewett reinstated his break lead in the following game before serving out for a third set decider.

It was in the finale that Kunieda began to play some unplayable tennis off his backhand and raced to a double break lead which proved the difference.

Hewett made sure the 37-year-old would have to serve it out for the title by getting one break back.

The 24-year-old rescued four championship points on Kunieda's serve, but an unforced error from Hewett sealed his 26th Grand Slam singles title on his fifth attempt.

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