Hewett criticises late court changes at French Open

Alfie Hewett says he is "extremely disappointed" pinch French Open organisers aft his wheelchair singles last was moved to a different tribunal little than an hr earlier nan commencement "without really consulting nan players".

The Norfolk player's lucifer against Tokito Oda connected Saturday, which he mislaid 6-4 7-6 (8-6), was switched from Court 14 to being consecutive aft nan women's wheelchair last connected Suzanne Lenglen.

They were only fixed astir 35 minutes to hole aft being informed of nan alteration astatine conscionable past midday.

"I understand nan reasoning down it because of nan changeable upwind this week but I deliberation they could person communicated that nan nighttime earlier - for illustration fixed america a heads-up and said 'if this quads lucifer goes connected longer than nan women's last past you boys will beryllium connected Lenglen, if it doesn't hap past you will enactment connected Court 14'," he said.

"None of that connection was had nan nighttime before, aliases moreover successful nan morning."

The BBC person approached Roland Garros and nan International Tennis Federation for comment.

As nan wheelchair tie progressed location was a batch of chat astir nan scheduling and last-minute changes, pinch different courts offering varied conditions for nan players.

"It's a wholly different environment," said Hewett, who won his sixth consecutive Roland Garros doubles title pinch partner and chap Brit Gordon Reid, and who - by besides finishing pinch runners-up honours successful nan singles - improved connected his 2024 capacity astatine Roland Garros.

"Gordy [Gordon Reid] was saying it erstwhile we were playing doubles. The shot was slower, nan balls prime up much clay because location is much clay connected those courts.

"On nan outdoor courts it's somewhat livelier, it's somewhat bouncier, there's shorter backmost runs. It wholly changes nan tactical crippled of nan lucifer and usually you cognize that you're going to beryllium playing connected a show court, truthful you believe connected that tribunal beforehand."

As elite-level athletes who are competing for nan apical prizes successful tennis, a batch of thought goes into pre-match preparations for nan wheelchair players - not conscionable astatine nan Grand Slams but each week they compete connected tour.

"I'm not 1 to travel retired present and criticise tournaments often because I cognize we are arsenic players, and I am, incredibly grateful to beryllium astatine events for illustration this, to beryllium celebrating wheelchair tennis and showcasing it connected a large shape but what happened coming was unacceptable," said Hewett.

"There are standards I judge that person sewage to beryllium group and you cognize arsenic players we weren't listened to, we weren't heard.

"We tried to inquire for nan tribunal to beryllium pushed back, but unluckily nan privilege was for fans to watch nan women's last connected a surface alternatively than giving nan wheelchair players much clip to warm-up and hole for a Grand Slam singles final.

"This isn't maine making excuses for my performance, Tokito was successful precisely nan aforesaid vessel arsenic me. I'm very happy pinch nan measurement I performed actually.

"This is much astir nan players and our welfare, and really treating america for illustration professionals, because I tin guarantee there's nary measurement Jannik Sinner aliases [Novak] Djokovic would get told 'sorry you can't person a due practice, you've sewage to spell connected tribunal successful 30 minutes'."

He added: "You put everything connected nan statement for these matches. It's not nan logic why I mislaid nan singles last - Tokito was nan amended subordinate successful nan bigger moments - but these are nan things that group higher up person sewage to return into information - and which I cognize they are taking into information pinch nan different players.

"They didn't return that into information pinch america and I consciousness really disappointed successful that."