Article 11 Jul 2023
Richard Evans
11 Jul 2023
ITF Wheelchair Wimbledon
Twenty-four hours before the 2023 Wimbledon wheelchair tournaments were due to begin, a swathe of players were engrossed in media duties atop a first floor balcony looking out towards court Nos. 14, 15, 16 and 17 at the All England Club where their matches will be mostly played.
“Wimbledon as a tournament is my favourite. I am a huge tennis fan, I put the telly on as soon as I get to the hotel,” said the defending ladies’ singles champion Diede De Groot. “They like to use Court No. 3 for the final and I’ve heard some rumours about Court No. 1 this year, so that would be good.”
The Dutch icon is not alone in her excitement.
“Wimbledon is special, it’s an event you look ahead to very early on in the calendar. It’s iconic, prestigious, I love it,” says Great Britain’s Alfie Hewett, runner-up in the men’s wheelchair singles last year.
Ditto Niels Vink, quads runner-up last year and who picked up the singles crown at Roland Garros last month.
“It’s amazing, when I was a little kid I always watched it on TV,” he says.
Champions are everywhere but it is difficult to look at anyone other than De Groot, a woman seeking her 11th straight Grand Slam title and who hasn’t lost for her past 108 matches, a streak that Novak, Carlos or Iga or any other contemporary playercould not remotely conceive of.
So, what’s it like to win every time you step on court?
“Obviously it’s amazing,” says the 26-year-old. "I try to put the focus on improving my skills, there are so many things in my game which have to get better. I am very critical of my own game and by focusing on my skills, the pressure of winning or losing goesaway a little bit.”
Physicality counts but much is in the mind.
“I think believing in yourself is 50 per cent of the game, maybe even more because whether I believe in myself or not, I still hit the same forehand but I will probably hit a winner with the belief that I have, so it’s night and day.
“I try to work on my mental game and by having those small details to work on I’ll have more victory moments. For example, if I want to hit four drop shots in a match, every time I hit a drop shot I’ll have this little victory moment.
“Winning a match is normal, it’s not that surprise factor anymore whereas if I get those (small) goals, I will get that moment.”
De Groot is first match up on Court No.14 on Wednesday and faces the South African Kgothatso Montjane, who she beat in the 2021 Wimbledon final.
“She’s an interesting opponent, she likes the slice serve which does well on grass," she added. "I am expecting the best from her, she took me to three sets the last time we played.”
Following De Groot on Court No. 14 will be her countryman Vink, just 20-years-old and seeded No.1.
Intriguingly, Vink has already forged a bond with his counterpart in the men’s singles, Carlos Alcaraz, courtesy of meeting in shared American locker rooms.
“When I won my first US Open (September 2022), Carlos won his first US Open," he said. "We were both 19-years-old, both had the same clothes, the same racket brand, everything was the same so we had a talk and a picture together.”
The Spaniard is not the only Grand Slam winner Vink is pally with.
“When I came into tennis I was a big fan of Dominic Thiem," he added. "And at the 2020 Paralympics (where Vink won bronze) he sent me a video to wish me good luck and after I won my medals he sent me a racquet with his signature on it. It’s still in my room now.
“After his big fight against Stefanos Tsitsipas (round one at Wimbledon this year), I texted him ‘well done’ and he replied and wished me good luck. It’s really nice to be one of the guys.”
Court No. 14 ends the day with a true heavyweight wheelchair contest where No. 2 seed Hewett faces third seed Joachim Gerard.
“They are all tough matches when it’s an eight draw,” says Hewett. “Jo is a very difficult opponent, he has lots of weapons that can hurt you on grass.
"My last match on grass was against him [the Queen’s final last month and won by Gerard] so it’s pretty fresh in the memory. He has a big serve, hits flat through the ball, he is quite a unit.”
Playing before his home crowd is an undoubted plus.
“You can definitely feel the support and it doesn’t happen any other time of the year," said Hewett. "It can bequite intimidating for opponents to come on court and feel the support which is very much one way and I try and embrace that. I love the home crowd and support.”
Hewett’s patriotism will have been further boosted by his recent award of an Order of the British Empire (OBE) from King Charles, a huge but very welcome surprise.
“I got a letter a few months ago and opened it with family around me," he added. "I didn’t expect it and it was a proud moment for me and my family, it’s recognition for everyone on this journey.
"It’s me out there doing the tennis but there’s a lot of people behind the scenes, It was a special thing for the family and in the bigger picture, for the sport as well.”
Ans what have his mates and opponents made of it?
He said: “The international players don’t really understand it as much and the weight that it holds but friends, when I have seen them for the first time, they will jokingly bow or say ‘Sir ‘so it's been brilliant.”
Wimbledon
