The standard in the men's
singles and doubles was so high
that Shingo Kunieda, the two-
time defending Olympic singles
champion, was compelled to
remark with the dignity we have
come to expect of this great
champion: "I need to improve
more – like the British guys."
The Japanese player had set his
sights on another medal but fell
in the quarterfinals.
Wheelchair tennis didn't just
entertain those with a penchant
for racket sports. It reached out
to all those sports fans who enjoy
nothing more than to see a sport
keenly contested at the highest
level with skill, flair, determination
and not least a deep respect for
the opposition.
Frenchman Stephane
Houdet, the world No. 1 singles
player, said before the Paralympic
tennis competition began that
the men's event would produce a
surprise but hopefully not at his
expense. As it turned out, there
was a surprise and it was at his
expense, at least as far as the
singles was concerned.
Houdet was beaten by Reid
75 62 in the semifinals, and Reid
went on to capture gold in an
all-British men's final, defeating
the surprise finalist Alfie Hewett
62 61. Hewett may have lost
the decider, but the 18-year-old
won the hearts of many with his
enthusiasm and self-belief that
he could beat more experienced
and better qualified players
than himself, which he did not
once but on three consecutive
occasions to reach the gold
medal match.
The British pair also reached
the men's doubles final, where
for once in this Paralympic tennis
event, experience had the final
