Shingo Kunieda, the retired Japanese wheelchair tennis legend, made a triumphant return to competition at the first-ever Miami Open Wheelchair Invitational. At the age of 40, Kunieda had an illustrious career, with 28 singles and 22 doubles Grand Slam titles and four Paralympic gold medals to his name. Despite announcing his retirement in January of the previous year, Kunieda proved that he still had what it takes to compete at the highest level.
In the men’s singles final, Kunieda faced off against current world No. 1 Alfie Hewett of Britain in a thrilling best-of-three sets match. Despite being considered underdogs, Kunieda came out on top, defeating Hewett in a remarkable display of skill and determination.
Reflecting on his unexpected win, Kunieda expressed his disbelief at his success. He mentioned that he had taken a break of around one-and-a-half years before making his triumphant return to defeat the top-ranked player in the world. Kunieda’s last competitive match had ended in defeat to Hewett at the 2022 U.S. Open final, making his victory at the Miami Open even more remarkable.
In addition to his role as a player, Kunieda also served as the tournament director for the inaugural Miami Open Wheelchair Invitational. His presence and leadership helped make the event a memorable and successful one for all involved. As he walked off the court with his trophy in hand, Kunieda knew that this was just the beginning of a new chapter in his storied career.