Great Britain regain BNP Paribas World Team Cup men's title
Earlier this week Alfie Hewett told ITFTennis.com that being in a BNP Paribas World Team Cup final as a junior was ’like a Grand Slam final’.
Now, exactly 10 years on from that maiden final for Hewett and his first experience of lifting a World Team Cup trophy as a 15-year-old, he is a four-time champion after Great Britain beat defending champions Netherlands 2-0 in this year’s men’s final at Vilamoura Tennis and Padel Academy in Portugal.
“Obviously I’m really happy to get the win today,” said world No.1 Hewett after defeating Ruben Spaargaren 7-5 6-2. “It's been four years in the making and it’s not been an easy few years with Gio (teammate Gordon Reid’s nickname) being injured last year and things like Covid.
“We've been very dominant the whole week. So to finish off in straight sets without it going to a deciding doubles is something that we can be very pleased about. It means a lot to win this event and to add GB to that trophy one more time.”
The moment Great Britain became World Champions! 🏆🌟#WheelchairTennis | @the_LTA pic.twitter.com/E4FWpYPSQx
— ITF (@ITFTennis) May 7, 2023
While the penultimate day of the ITF’s flagship wheelchair tennis team event belonged to Netherlands after their victories in the women’s and quad finals, the final day most definitely belonged to Great Britain.
When Hewett and Reid helped Great Britain to win their first World Team Cup men’s title in Antalya in 2015 the four-man British team included Marc McCarroll. Eight years on and McCarroll captained Great Britain to their first World Team Cup junior title since Hewett led Great Britain to victory in 2013.
When Hewett says it’s not been an easy four years he means it. Illness among Great Britain’s selected players in 2021 meant that the now three-time men’s champions were unable to contest the World Group as defending champions from 2019, with the Covid-19 pandemic having resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 event.
Hewett and Ben Bartram were part of the Great Britain men’s team that subsequently won their European Qualification event last year before finishing fifth in Vilamoura as Reid contended with a 2022 season adversely affected by a wrist injury.
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Now back to something nearing his best form, former world No. 1 Reid has returned to the top 10 and while he opened this year’s men’s final by remaining unbeaten in 20 career matches against current world No.10 Tom Egberink, suggestions of another injury arose early in the second set after Reid had dominated the first.
“I’ve had a few issues with some tightness in my lower back this week and it was a little bit worse today,” said Reid after beating Egberink 6-2 6-4 in a contest between the Tokyo Paralympic silver and bronze medallists.
“I had some good treatment on the court and managed to scrap through a bit of a tough period in the second set. But I finished it strongly and obviously I’m really pleased to get it over and done with in two sets and then sit back and watch Alfie finish the job.”
With Hewett ranked world No.1 and Spaargaren ranked world No. 5, Hewett might have been expected to start as favourite for the second singles match, but in an otherwise unbeaten season he has suffered two losses, both to Spaargaren.
The Dutchman began well as he attempted to get Netherlands back on track for what might have been a record-equalling ninth men’s title. However, Hewett recovered from 4-1 down in the opening set before going on to wrap up Great Britain’s victory – a win that sees the 2023 champions leave Vilamoura without having lost a singles or doubles match in 13 contests across five ties throughout a memorable week.
France, the team that Great Britain beat to win their previous two titles in 2015 and 2019, clinched the bronze medal this year after beating 2021 and 2022 silver medallists Spain 2-1 on Saturday’s sixth and penultimate day of play.