Gordon Reid on more grand slams and Wimbledon's centre court

The Herald Scotland

2 days ago

Despite the toll globetrotting for the entirety of his adult life has taken, and the dimming of his motivation that could so easily have come when his grand slam title count reached the high twenties, Reid asserts he's as driven as he's ever been, possibly even more-so.
At the age of 33, and having established himself as one of the most decorated tennis players in the history of the game, the Glaswegian is showing no signs of slowing down and Reid goes into the French Open wheelchair tournament, which begins at Roland Garros today, with little doubt as to his goals.
'I've always been someone who goes into every tournament looking to win the singles and the doubles. I feel like if I'm not going there to try and win then what's the point in being there at all?,' he says
'So winning the tournament is always the target, this week and every other week.'
It's unsurprising that Reid has reached a point in his career at which anything less than victory feels like failure.
Having contracted a rare neurological condition called transverse myelitis at the age of 12, which left him paralysed from the waist down, Reid tried his hand at wheelchair tennis.
The success he's achieved since first his first taste of the sport at Scotstoun Leisure Centre in Glasgow has been nothing short of astonishing.
His maiden major title came in doubles in 2015, at the French Open, with that victory opening the floodgates.
Two grand slam singles titles, as well as Paralympic gold, all in 2016, are impressive in themselves but it's in doubles that Reid has become something of a legend of wheelchair tennis.
To date, he has claimed 26 grand slam doubles titles, 22 of which have been alongside Englishman Alfie Hewett, as well as Paralympic doubles gold, which they won last summer to complete the 'Golden Grand Slam'.
The duo's dominance - they've won 17 of the last 20 grand slam doubles events, including the Australian Open earlier this year - has, unsurprisingly, given the pair an aura of invincibility but such a record also brings with it considerable pressure. As Reid prepares to begin his French Open campaign at Roland Garros today, he acknowledges the pressure upon his shoulders but his experience, as well as a naturally laid-back personality, ensures he is confident he will be unaffected by the target on his back, particularly when he teams up with Hewett.
'I'm feeling good - I'm just off the back of a couple of tournaments in Europe on the clay and I feel like I've been playing well so I'm feeling positive heading into Paris,' he says.
'From a doubles perspective, we're big favourites to win the title and I guess that puts pressure on us but we have to look at that as a good thing because it's as a result of doing well that people expect us to win. If nobody expects you to win then yes, you might feel a bit more freedom, but it also means you don't have the confidence that we have.
'And anyway, there's no one who puts more pressure on us than ourselves.'
Gordon Reid (R) won his 28th grand slam title in Australia earlier this year, alongside Alfie Hewett (L) (Image: Getty Images)
As Reid prepares to turn 34 later this year, he knows he's nearer to the end of his career than the beginning. But having relocated from his home city of Glasgow to the National Tennis Centre in London a year ago, Reid believes the move has both helped his game, and has been a major factor in ensuring he remains as driven as ever as he targets 30 grand slam titles and beyond.
And despite having reached the very top of his sport - he's been world number one in both singles and doubles - he's confident he can still improve as a player before he hangs up his racquet.
'Moving to London was a big change but I wanted a fresh start,' he says.
'However many years of my career I have left, I want to give it absolutely everything. I definitely have felt re-energised sine moving to London and that's helped with my motivation, which I'd say is higher than ever at the moment.
'I still love playing tennis and being able to do this as a job is amazing. The competition side of it, and all the emotions you get when you compete, is great. I know when athletes retire that's often what they say they miss the most so I'm just trying to enjoy that for as long as I have left.'
Reid's primary target is, of course, this week's French Open but it's a quick turnaround from the clay of Roland Garros onto the grass of Wimbledon later this month.
It is, in large part, the platform the All England Tennis Club has given wheelchair tennis that's helped grow its profile quite considerably in recent years and Reid is eternally grateful for the opportunity he and his peers have been given to showcase their sport.
There is, however, one remaining goal that Reid would love to achieve before he hangs up his racquet and he's surely edging closer to fulfilling it.
'This week, my focus is entirely on the French but grass is my favourite time of year so I'm looking forward to getting to Wimbledon,' he says.
'The Grand Slams have played a huge part in raising the profile of wheelchair tennis because of the exposure they've given us, and especially at Wimbledon.
'Jamie Baker (Wimbledon tournament director) has played a massive role in helping wheelchair tennis grow in this country. He's seen that we can add value to the event and the scenes on Court One during some of my matches over the last few years have been amazing.
'Giving us a platform is good for the players, it's good for the spectators, it's good for the tournament and it's good for the sport and it shows that we do bring entertainment and value to these events and it's not a charity thing.
'It's an incredible atmosphere at Wimbledon and so it's always a tournament I look forward to.
'I'm still holding my breath for the opportunity to play on Centre Court, though - hopefully before I end my career, I'll have that chance.'