Tokito Oda wins wheelchair final to become youngest male Wimbledon champion
Japan's Tokito Oda celebrates with the trophy after beating Britain's Alfie Hewitt to win the final of the men's wheelchair singles on day fourteen of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 16, 2023. Credit: AP/Kin Cheung
WIMBLEDON, England — Tokito Oda became the youngest man to win a Wimbledon singles title in any discipline after defeating Alfie Hewett in the men's wheelchair final on Sunday.
The 17-year-old Japanese player won 6-4, 6-2 on No. 1 Court to earn his second straight Grand Slam title after also winning the French Open in June.
“I’m still 17. So, I want to open a champagne, but I couldn’t,” Oda said. “So I have to drink sparkling water.”
His French Open victory, where he also beat Hewett in the final, made Oda the youngest man to win a Grand Slam singles title in any discipline — excluding juniors — at 17 years, 33 days.
He was 17 years, 69 days when he won the Wimbledon title. Boris Becker was the youngest men's singles champion at the All England Club at 17 years, 228 days in 1985.
In the women's wheelchair doubles final, Diede De Groot followed up her singles victory by adding another title alongside Jiske Griffioen. The Dutch pair beat Yui Kamiji of Japan and Kgothatso Montjane of South Africa 6-1, 6-4.
De Groot beat Griffioen in the singles final on Saturday for her 11th straight Grand Slam title and 19th overall. She now has 17 in doubles, including three at Wimbledon. It was a 15th major doubles title for Griffioen.
Japan's Tokito Oda, left, celebrates with the trophy after beating Britain's Alfie Hewitt, right, to win the final of the men's wheelchair singles on day fourteen of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 16, 2023. Credit: AP/Kin Cheung
