As the wheelchair draw progressed, there was a lot of discussion about the programming and the last -minute changes, with different courts offering varied conditions for players.
“It’s a completely different atmosphere,” said Hewett, who won his sixth consecutive Roland Garros title doubles with partner and colleague Brit Gordon Reid, and that – when he finished second in The Singles – improved in his 2024 performance in Roland Garros.
“Gordy [Gordon Reid] I was saying this when we were playing pairs. The ball was slower, the balls take more mud because there is more clay in these courts.
“In the outdoor courts, it’s a little more excited, it’s a little more annoying, there are shorter races.
As elite level athletes who are competing for the main tennis awards, a lot of reflection goes into preparations before the game for wheelchair players-not only on the Grand Slams, but every week they compete in tour.
“I’m not the only one to come here and criticize tournaments frequently because I know we’re like players, and I’m incredibly grateful to be at events like this, celebrating wheelchair tennis and showing it on a big stage, but what happened today was unacceptable,” Hewett said.
“There are standards that I believe need to be defined and you know that, as players we were not heard, we were not heard.
“We tried to ask the court to be postponed, but unfortunately the priority was for fans to watch the female final on a screen instead of giving the more time wheelchair players to warm up and prepare for a Grand Slam final.
“It’s not me making excuses for my performance, Tokito was exactly in the same boat as me. I’m very happy with the way I really introduced myself.
“This is more about players and our good -to -be, and really treating us as professionals, because I can guarantee that there is no way Jannik Sinner or [Novak] Djokovic would be informed: ‘Sorry, you can’t have a proper practice, you need to go to the court in 30 minutes’. “
He added: “You put everything at risk for these matches. It’s not why I lost the final of singles – Tokito was the best player in the largest moments – but these are the things that the highest people need to take into consideration – and that I know they are taking into consideration with the other players.
“They didn’t take it into consideration with us and I feel very disappointed by it.”
