US Open 2026: Hewett and Reid rally into men's wheelchair doubles final, avenge last year's defeat

US Open 2026 produced one of the most notable comebacks in wheelchair tennis, as British pair Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid defeated Argentina's Gustavo Fernandez and Japan's Tokito Oda 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 to reach the men's doubles final. The victory avenged their loss to the same opponents in last year's final and kept alive their bid for a sixth US Open doubles title together. Hewett and Reid dominated the men's wheelchair doubles at the US Open with five consecutive titles from 2026 to 2026. After a period in which younger teams and new partnerships narrowed the gap, they now have a chance to reclaim the crown. In the final they will face Spain's Martin de la Puente and the Netherlands' Ruben Spaargaren, a pair with fewer Grand Slam titles but with speed, youth and a fearless approach. Wheelchair tennis was introduced to the US Open in 2026, helping bring disability events onto the Grand Slam stage. The rules allow the ball to bounce twice, with the first bounce required to land in court. Players serve from a wheelchair, can move to the net and finish points with powerful strokes. Matches are best of three sets, with the third set played as a 10-point match tie-break. That format shortens matches but increases pressure on every service point, turning small decisions into decisive factors. The semifinal between Hewett, Reid and the Fernandez-Oda pairing followed the script of a rematch. In the first set, Fernandez and Oda started better. They served steadily, defended solidly and exploited short balls to counterattack. A mid-set break gave them the set 6-4. Hewett and Reid made errors in finishing points, sometimes choosing overly safe directions under pressure from Oda. The turning point came in the second set. The British pair increased their first-serve percentage, moved forward and forced Oda to move outside his preferred areas. Hewett used his forehand to finish points, while Reid anchored the back of the court. They won 6-3 and forced a match tie-break. That was when the experience of a five-time US Open champion team showed. They led early, kept a two-point cushion and used a decisive service point to win 10-7. Based on my experience watching wheelchair matches at the US Open over many years, I noticed a change in how Hewett and Reid handled the tie-break. They took fewer risks, preferring to hit through the middle to limit Fernandez's counterattacking angles. The naked eye sees the ball being struck; the referee's eye sees the tactical intention behind it. The win was not simply luck. It was built on specific adjustments: greater depth on the serve, reduced pace when necessary and forcing opponents to miss. In the men's singles, Gordon Reid had little time to rest. He lost 6-1, 6-0 to Tokito Oda in the quarterfinals. Oda, the top seed and defending champion, showed dominance with powerful serves and excellent defense. Reid, who was still competing in both singles and doubles, could not create an upset. Meanwhile, Alfie Hewett, the second seed, advanced to the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-0 win over American Casey Ratzlaff. Hewett, now 28, has won four US Open singles titles, most recently in 2026. He is considered a leading contender for the singles crown while also chasing a sixth doubles title. In quad doubles, Britain's Andy Lapthorne and South Africa's Leon Els lost to the Netherlands' Sam Schroder and Australia's Jin Woodman 4-6, 6-3, 10-8. That match also went to a tie-break, reflecting the growing parity in wheelchair events. Lapthorne, one of the veteran quad players, had moments of controlling the net, but the opposing pair handled the important points better. The result mirrors a broader trend: younger players are closing the gap on established names. At first glance, the result suggests Hewett and Reid are back on track. A closer look, however, shows their first set was a warning. The British pair fell behind, their second-serve efficiency was not high and they were stretched repeatedly by Oda. The match tie-break allowed them to correct their mistakes. Against de la Puente and Spaargaren, another slow start could leave them without a second chance. The 10-point tie-break sits in a gray zone between technique and psychology. Rules are not meant to punish, but to keep a match from becoming a lottery. Yet a tie-break can also turn a long contest into a sprint, where one mistake costs everything. Hewett and Reid won because they were calmer, not because they were completely superior. That is the lesson they must remember before the final. For Fernandez and Oda, there may be regret. They had the first set as planned but could not sustain pressure when Hewett and Reid raised their level. Oda still has the singles draw, where he is the top seed. Fernandez, with the experience of a former world No. 1, knows that at a Grand Slam the smallest detail can decide fate. A missed serve, a wrong positional choice, a moment of hesitation can change the entire match. The US Open men's wheelchair doubles final will be a contest between legacy and ambition. Hewett and Reid have a historic opportunity: a sixth US Open doubles title and an end to their wait since 2026. De la Puente and Spaargaren have nothing to lose and will play with the pressure on their opponents. I do not trust the final verdict; I trust the chain of reasoning leading to it. Whatever the result, this final will show how fierce wheelchair tennis has become, where the gap between players has narrowed and every point must be built through tactics. For Hewett, the goal is even bigger because he remains alive in the singles draw. For Reid, a doubles title would be consolation after his quarterfinal singles defeat. For wheelchair tennis as a whole, an attractive final featuring four players from four different countries is proof of the sport's growing reach. The US Open is not only a stage for the top players; it is also a place where stories of resilience, tactics and endurance are told every year. Martin de la Puente and Ruben Spaargaren prefer a fast game. De la Puente has faced Hewett and Reid many times at Grand Slams, while Spaargaren is enjoying a breakthrough season. They like to move to the net early and finish points quickly. To win, Hewett and Reid must control the tempo and prevent their opponents from playing at high speed. Reid's serve will be key, because if he serves well, Hewett can attack freely. If Reid is pulled wide, the British pair will be forced to defend more. The final will test more than shot-making. It will test decision-making under pressure, the ability to adapt after a poor set and the courage to execute in a tie-break. Hewett and Reid have been here before. The question is whether they can turn experience into a sixth title, or whether a new pair will write a different ending.