Hewett and Reid Advance in US Open Draw Amid Mixed Results

Alfie Hewett barely broke sweat. Gordon Reid had to empty the tank. Between them, Britain’s leading wheelchair pair found two very different routes into the US Open men’s singles quarter-finals on a mixed day for the squad in New York.

Hewett in cruise control

On Louis Armstrong’s outside courts, the scoreline told the story. Hewett, the No. 2 seed and already a four-time champion in New York, dismantled Spain’s Daniel Caverzaschi 6-0 6-2, dropping just two games in a ruthless display.

His serve bit, his returns landed at his opponent’s feet, and rallies rarely lasted long enough to build any real tension. Hewett locked in early, ran through the opening set without conceding a game, and never loosened his grip.

The reward is a quarter-final against American Casey Ratzlaff, a step up in home support and pressure, but exactly the kind of stage Hewett has made his own over the past few seasons.

Reid made to work

Reid’s path could not have looked more different. Against French veteran Stephane Houdet, the Scot was dragged into a two-hour, 13-minute battle that swung sharply before he finally wrestled control for a 6-3 5-7 6-2 victory.

Reid started the stronger, taking the first set with measured aggression and clean ball-striking. Then the match turned. Houdet, with all his experience, dug in, extended rallies and forced errors as he clawed back the second set.

Just when the contest threatened to drift away from him, Reid reset. The decider brought his best tennis: heavier groundstrokes, smarter court positioning, and a clear jump in intensity. He broke early, held his nerve, and closed out the match with authority.

Waiting for him next is the toughest assignment in the sport right now: defending champion and top seed Tokito Oda. The Japanese star has collected the last six Grand Slam singles titles, a streak that underlines the size of the task facing Reid.

Doubles dynasty still alive

Hewett and Reid are not just singles contenders here. Together, they have built a dynasty in doubles, chasing a sixth US Open wheelchair doubles crown as a team.

They came through their opening round on Tuesday to keep that campaign on track and now face a heavyweight semi-final: Oda again, this time alongside Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez. It is the kind of marquee clash that often decides not just who reaches the final, but who shapes the narrative of the entire tournament.

Mixed fortunes in the quad draw

While Hewett and Reid advanced, the quad singles brought a harsher outcome for the British contingent.

Andy Lapthorne ran into the full force of top seed Niels Vink. The Dutchman imposed himself from the first ball, breaking repeatedly to complete a 6-2 6-1 win and underline why he sits at the top of the rankings.

Greg Slade also fell at the first hurdle, beaten 6-4 6-2 by Argentina’s Gonzalo Lazarte. Slade had moments where he threatened a pushback, especially in the opening set, but Lazarte’s consistency and control ultimately shut the door.

Lapthorne’s tournament is not over. He remains alive in the quad doubles, where he has already booked a place in the semi-finals alongside South African partner Leon Els. With singles hopes gone, that partnership now carries his New York ambitions.

For Hewett and Reid, though, the stakes rise with every round. One chasing a fifth singles crown, the other staring down the game’s dominant force. Both still hunting another shared doubles title. The next few days will decide whether this US Open becomes another chapter in British supremacy, or the moment the balance of power shifts.