Alfie Hewett goes into his 11th Wimbledon Championships as the second seed, with Tom Egberink standing between him and a strong start on Tuesday. For the 28-year-old, the task is familiar: stay present, manage the pressure and make sure the opening round does not become a distraction from the bigger picture.
Hewett won the Wimbledon men’s wheelchair singles title in 2024, and he arrives back at the All England Club with another clear goal in mind. He has also been part of a successful doubles week with Gordon Reid, but his singles path is complicated by the challenge of trying to solve Tokito Oda, the world No. 1 who has beaten him in two recent finals.
Hewett keeps the focus on the here and now
Sleep was not exactly straightforward for Hewett as Wimbledon approached. He said: “My body woke me up around 2am, funnily enough.” But the priority was clear enough when he added: “But sleep is the priority with the first round of matches tomorrow.”
That is the kind of detail that tells you where he is mentally. He is not looking too far ahead. He is trying to settle into the rhythm of the Championships, protect his energy and make sure the first-round match does not demand more than it should.
Tom Egberink will provide the opening test, and Hewett knows that no draw is ever a formality at this level. Being the second seed brings status, but it also brings expectation.
Doubles momentum gives him something to build on
The timing of Hewett and Gordon Reid’s recent success could hardly be better. The pair won the Roehampton final on Friday, coming back from 7-2 down and edging it 11-9 in the match tie-break. Hewett was clear that the result mattered beyond the scoreline.
“It’s great news that they’re through and I’ve seen some highlights this morning - quite the game by the looks of things,” he said. “It was a good win in the doubles. Tight one in the match tie-break - 11-9.”
He also pointed to the value of that comeback. “It’s good for us to have those challenges and face a bit of adversity and get through it successfully,” he said. “That will definitely help us from a mental perspective.”
That sort of momentum matters, especially in wheelchair tennis where confidence can quickly carry from one event into the next. Hewett and Reid are back-to-back Lexus British Open Roehampton winners, and that gives them a useful platform as Wimbledon begins.
The Tokito Oda problem remains the major question
If the doubles side of Hewett’s week has brought encouragement, the singles picture is more complicated. On Friday he lost to Tokito Oda 6-3, 6-1 in the Lexus British Open final, and the gap in that result reflected a wider challenge he continues to face.
Hewett did not hide from that reality. “There were some really good things that I did in most of my matches last week,” he said. “The final scoreline doesn’t seem like it was a good one, but I was quite happy with my level.”
He added: “I was just beaten by the better player on the day, and there’s not much more you can do sometimes than just hold your hands up and say, ‘too good.’”
That is the honest assessment of a player who knows exactly where he stands. Oda has won eight of the last 11 Grand Slam singles events, and Hewett’s own words suggest he understands that recent results do not disappear just because the calendar has turned to Wimbledon.
Still, he is not sounding beaten by the challenge. “But it’s a new week and anything can happen,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how well you play the week before. It’s all about the present, and the here and now.”
That is the right way to frame Hewett’s Wimbledon campaign. The title he won in 2024 shows he has already handled the occasion here before. His doubles form offers lift. His singles record against Oda offers a reminder of the level he must reach. First, though, it is Tom Egberink on Tuesday, and for the second seed that is where the next chapter starts.
And if there is one line that sums up the mood best, it is this: “There’s a big fire for sure.” Hewett knows the rivalry is real, but he also knows there are other matches to get through before any bigger prize comes back into view.
