17-year-old Tokito Oda (JPN) has become the youngest male Wimbledon champion in any discipline—excluding juniors—after defeating Alfie Hewett (GBR) in the men’s wheelchair final on July 16.
According to Paralympic, Oda won 6-4, 6-2 on Court No. 1 just 18 hours he and his partner Takuya Miki (JPN) lost in the men’s wheelchair doubles final to Hewitt and his partner Gordon Reid (GBR)
“I’m still 17. So, I want to open a champagne, but I couldn’t,” Oda said during the on-court interview after the game. “So I have to drink sparkling water.”
During the on-court interview, Oda also remarked that he didn’t “expect this amazing support on [the] court” that he felt like he was “living in a dream.”
The last player to held Oda’s title as youngest Wimbledon campion was Boris Becker in 1985, who won the championship when he was 17 years old and 228 days, according to ESPN.
This is Oda’s second Grand Slam title. He beat Hewett at the French Open in June with a score of 6-1 and 6-4, which was another historical win: he became the youngest man to win a Grand Slam singles title in any discipline—excluding juniors—at 17 years 33 days, according to ESPN.
Oda said that he hopes to continue this momentum of victory and improve his skill. “My goal is winning the whole Grand Slam and winning the Paralympics. My tennis is not perfect right now, so I want to play more things. I’m thinking I want to play more aggressive and playing faster,” Oda said, according to Paralympic.
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