Tokito Oda made history by being the youngest man to ever win a Wimbledon singles title in any discipline. After winning the French Open in June, the 17-year-old Japanese player defeated Alfie Hewett 6-4, 6-2 in the men’s wheelchair final on Sunday to capture his second consecutive Grand Slam championship.
“This is so amazing. I didn’t expect this amazing support on this court. I am feeling like I’m living in a dream. I’m so happy,” Oda said. “I want to thank Alfie and his support team. It was not easy playing in this situation against a country’s home player. “He is one of the strongest players and I have played him many times. It’s really tough playing with him.”
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In the women’s wheelchair doubles final, Diede de Groot and Jiske Griffioen added another success to de Groot’s singles victory. The Dutch pair defeated Kgothatso Montjane of South Africa and Yui Kamiji of Japan 6-1, 6-4.
De Groot won her 19th overall and 11th Grand Slam title on Saturday by defeating Griffioen in the singles final. She currently has 17 doubles wins, with three coming at Wimbledon. For Griffioen, it was his 15th major doubles championship.
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Who is Tokito Oda?
At 17 years, 33 days old, Oda became the youngest man to ever win a Grand Slam singles championship in any discipline, excluding juniors, with his victory at the French Open, when he also defeated Hewett in the final.
He won the Wimbledon championship at the age of 17 years, 69 days. At 17 years, 228 days old, Boris Becker was the All England Club’s youngest men’s singles champion in 1985. Oda also became the youngest player to win a Wimbledon singles title since Martina Hingis lifted the women’s trophy in 1997 at the age of 16.
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Oda had to make do with a glass of water instead of champagne while celebrations because he is too young to legally consume alcohol.
“I am still 17, I wanted to open the champagne but I couldn’t, so maybe I will have sparkling water with my team,” he said.