US Open 2021: Hewett finishes runner-up at Flushing Meadows
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Alfie Hewett had to settle for runners-up honours for the third time in five years at the US Open after world No. 1 and Tokyo Paralympic champion Shingo Kunieda claimed his eight US Open men’s singles title 6-1, 6-4.
World No.2 Hewett, the champion in New York in 2018 and 2019, didn't win a point in the first three games after a shoulder injury flared up during the warm-up. However, after treatment on court Hewett started to show the powers of recovery that have so often punctuated his victories at the Grand Slams and so many of the world's biggest tournaments.
The five-time Grand Slam champion produced a succession of winners with his trademark topspin backhand in the second set, but having fought hard to come back from 3-0 and 4-1 down to level the set he was unable to force a decider, with Kunieda showing just why he is now a 25-time Grand Slam singles champion.