Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/1416788
to the brink of elimination by the 18-year-old before squeezing through 6-4 3-6 6-4. Alcott described the encounter as the best he has ever been involved in, nodding to the high esteem in which he holds the teenager, while he has a similar lofty view of 2020 US Open champion Schroder. "How good did the Dutch kids get? That extra year, when the Paralympic Games were postponed, was so bad for me because they got awesome," said Alcott. "How I won that semi against Vink, I'll never know. I shouldn't have won. That was the hardest match I've ever played, and the best match. It wasn't the best quality from start to finish but it was the best contest I've ever been a part of. "That match point he saved was like a 50-shot rally. He's 18, and that's all I said to him when we hugged, that I'm so proud of him. He's 100 per cent going to win a gold medal in singles. I said that to him. "And Sam too. He played an awesome match in the final. He will be back fighting for gold medals, I'm sure. He'll be better for the experience. I lost the first nine finals I played in tennis. He'll be back and it was an honour to share the court with him." Whether Alcott managed to sink the 10,000 beers he suggested he was going to following his Tokyo gold is highly questionable. What is not up for debate is the scale of the contribution he has made to the Paralympic landscape. While the sun has now set on his involvement – and Paris in three years' time will be the poorer for it – Alcott continues to be a true ambassador for wheelchair tennis, a sport which he has illuminated for some considerable time. He may no longer be the future – that is a mantle for others to embrace and nurture – but his Paralympic achievements will stand the test of time for generations to come and inspire many. Happy Paralympic retirement, Dylan – thank you for the memories, you will be missed. n Above le Alco with fellow quad singles medallists Sam Schroder (le ) and Niels Vink (right) Above Alco defeated Schroder in the quad singles final Far le It was a fourth Paralympic gold medal for the Victorian Le Doubles gold proved elusive as Schroder and Vink prevailed ITF World Tokyo 2020 35 DYLAN ALCOTT INTERVIEW