By Cassandra Bedwell | ABC au news | Sept 13, 2015
Wheelchair quad tennis is for athletes with three limbs affected by disability.
"I came out of the blocks really strong and then lost the second set and then the third set went forever," he said.
"I started cramping and had to call the trainer because I had a sore, injured hand and I was just in all sorts.
"I've been training so hard for months and months, I've been in Europe for eight weeks and then home for a week and then back over here — it's just been full on.
"So to come home with the title is absolutely unbelievable."
The quad singles event is a round robin competition with a final to decide the winner.
Alcott lost one match during the competition and said he played pretty poorly during the week.
"I just found my form on the last day I guess," he said.
"We had a huge crowd out there out at Queens at Flushing Meadows.
"After a tough loss the other day it was a great feeling."
In the wheelchair quads doubles event, Alcott and British player Andrew Lapthorne lost to Wagner and fellow American Nicholas Taylor.
Alcott, the world number one, secured his first Grand Slam title at the 2015 Australian Open.
He is also a gold medallist after winning top honours with the Australian wheelchair basketball team at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.
He said he was now aiming for a gold medal in tennis at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
"My next goal is to be one of only a few people to win gold in two different sports across two different games," he said.
Tennis players competing in the quad events can use electric-powered wheelchairs and rackets taped to their hand.
The Melbournian said it was an "epic" match and it was hard to believe he had won the title."I came out of the blocks really strong and then lost the second set and then the third set went forever," he said.
"I started cramping and had to call the trainer because I had a sore, injured hand and I was just in all sorts.
"I've been training so hard for months and months, I've been in Europe for eight weeks and then home for a week and then back over here — it's just been full on.
"So to come home with the title is absolutely unbelievable."
The quad singles event is a round robin competition with a final to decide the winner.
Alcott lost one match during the competition and said he played pretty poorly during the week.
"I just found my form on the last day I guess," he said.
"We had a huge crowd out there out at Queens at Flushing Meadows.
"After a tough loss the other day it was a great feeling."
In the wheelchair quads doubles event, Alcott and British player Andrew Lapthorne lost to Wagner and fellow American Nicholas Taylor.
Alcott, the world number one, secured his first Grand Slam title at the 2015 Australian Open.
He is also a gold medallist after winning top honours with the Australian wheelchair basketball team at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.
He said he was now aiming for a gold medal in tennis at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
"My next goal is to be one of only a few people to win gold in two different sports across two different games," he said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-14/dylan-alcott-wins-epic-us-open-wheelchair-quad-final/6773660
No comments:
Post a Comment