Tennis legend admits he 'feels like an imposter' after being propelled into the spotlight
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He is a 30-time Grand Slam-winning legend, yet Alfie Hewett admits he has felt like an ‘imposter’ after being propelled into the media spotlight over the last 18 months.
Hewett was one of six nominees in the 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year, with his role in propelling the rapid growth of wheelchair tennis duly recognised by the wider sporting family in a fitting manner.
Yet the humble Hewett admits his appearance in the spotlight has been something of a culture shock, as he opened up in an exclusive interview with Tennis365 at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in London.
Lexus ambassador Hewett won his first Grand Slam title in 2017 and since then, he has become the face of the sport around the world, with his win in the Wimbledon final last summer allowing him to complete his collection of singles titles.
He backed that up by winning his first Olympic gold medal alongside long-time doubles partner Gordon Reid and despite his success in ticking off some of his big targets in 2024, he is already dreaming of more next year and beyond.
Here is the first part of our exclusive interview with Alfie Hewett:
T365: How do you reflect on the rise of wheelchair tennis during your time in the sport?
Aflie Hewett: I do believe that wheelchair tennis and Paralympic sport as a whole is reaching new heights and I have been in that spotlight for some time now, especially over the last 18 months. It’s been strange for me. I’ve felt like an imposter at times being at the Sports Personality of the Year award and events like that. I feel like there has been a real push to promote wheelchair tennis from people at the LTA in Britain, the All England Club and with leading brands like Lexus also getting behind us. So it has been a a fantastic couple of years. We can always introduce the port to more people and when they watch it, there tends to be a positive reaction.
T365: How have you dealt with the spotlight that has fallen on you?
Aflie Hewett: I’ve had quite a few experiences of people reaching out to share their side of the story and what we are doing in wheelchair tennis means to them and it is great that we are touching so many people. It gives the whole disabled community a chance to talk and relate to one another, share their stories and believe there are equal opportunities for them out there. I’m enjoying being a part of that and playing a small part in raising the profile of our sport.
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T365: What have been the highlights of your year?
Aflie Hewett: I’ve lost a couple of finals at Wimbledon and that was a special moment to finally win the single title. Likewise, at the Paralympics, we had missed out on a couple of finals in 2016 and 2020, so getting over the line in that final with Gordon (Reid) was an amazing moment. We don’t give up on the doubles court and the same is true with me in singles, so to tick off those two accomplishments that were obviously high on my bucket list was very satisfying. They are obviously career-defining tournaments and for a long time, I’ve had people questioning if we can get over the line at Wimbledon or if Gordon and I can get that gold medal. To do it was incredibly satisfying. It feels like a big weight has been taken off my shoulders.
T365: Tell us about your partnership with Lexus
Aflie Hewett: I’ve had the luxury of driving the RX450 and it has been transformational for me. I do a lot of communicating as I am based in my hometown of Norwich and I train a lot in London. I spend three days in London every weekend the travelling can be quite draining. I need an economical with it being a hybrid, it has worked perfectly for me. It has really helped me feel fresher when I arrive. It’s also great to work with Lexus and the support they are giving tennis at all levels is just fantastic for our sport.
Alfie Hewett with Tennis365’s Kevin Palmer
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