Gordon Reid aiming to complete amazing journey with Wimbledon double
Gordon Reid has taken a 12-year journey from paralysis on a hospital bed to the chance of glory at Wimbledon and a place in tennis history this weekend.
Gordon Reid has taken a 12-year journey from paralysis on a hospital bed to the chance of glory at Wimbledon and a place in tennis history this weekend.
The Glasgow-based wheelchair marvel reached the final of Wimbledon's inaugural singles event on Friday before teaming up with Alfie Hewett to secure a spot in the men's doubles title match.
Reid, now 24, was approaching his 13th birthday when he was struck down by transverse myelitis - a condition affecting the spinal chord. He spent six months in Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Sick Children.
He wondered if he would ever be able to play sport again, but within weeks of being discharged he was playing wheelchair tennis and has established a thriving sporting career as he bids to join fellow Scots Andy Murray and Jamie Murray as a champion at Wimbledon.
He had played at Helensburgh Lawn Tennis Club before his health drastically took its life-changing turn, and could now achieve the dream of a Wimbledon double.
Left-hander Reid put himself one win away from the singles title by beating Belgian second seed Joachim Gerard 7-6 (11/9) 6-4, before he and Hewett saw off Gerard and Argentinian Gustavo Fernandez 6-3 6-2.
The doubles final takes place on Saturday, with the showpiece singles on Sunday.
Reid said: "It's massive for me. Going in here I knew how much of a milestone it was for our sport, to finally have a singles event at Wimbledon. To be going into the final now and having the opportunity to try and win the first ever singles title is very big.''
He began the year by landing the Australian Open singles, and followed up by reaching the French Open final where he lost to Fernandez.
In his third grand slam singles final of the year, the Scot will tackle Swede Stefan Olsson who upset veteran French top seed Stephane Houdet, winning 3-6 6-3 6-3. The champion will collect £25,000.
Reid said: "When I won in Australia, it was such an amazing feeling I thought it would never be beaten, but I'm starting to get the feeling this week that might not be true.
"It's been an incredible week already. I was in the Royal Box on Saturday, then met Kate Middleton yesterday, which was pretty special, and she was watching my match. I've got to two finals and it's been the perfect week so far and hopefully I can end it the right way as well.
"When I was in hospital for six months and completely paralysed it was a scary time. Sport was such a massive part of my life and it felt like it'd been completely taken away from me.
"It was devastating. But it's opened doors to me through wheelchair tennis that I never would have had, getting the opportunity to play here and at all the other slams, travel the world and play tennis for a living. It's not a bad life.''