Shingo Kunieda, a retired Japanese wheelchair tennis legend, made a triumphant return to the game as he won the men’s singles at the inaugural Miami Open Wheelchair Invitational. In a thrilling best-of-three final, he faced current world No. 1 Alfie Hewett of Britain and eventually emerged victorious.
At the age of 40, Kunieda had an illustrious career with 28 singles and 22 Grand Slam singles titles, in addition to four Paralympic gold medals. Despite announcing his retirement last January, Kunieda proved that he still had what it took to compete at the highest level.
Reflecting on his unexpected victory, Kunieda expressed disbelief at his success. He noted that he took a break of about a year and a half before making a triumphant return to beat the world’s top-ranked player, Hewett. Kunieda’s last competitive match ended with a loss to Hewett in the final of the 2022 US Open, making his victory at the Miami Open all the more significant.
In addition to playing in the tournament, Kunieda also served as its director. His presence and leadership helped make the inaugural Miami Open Wheelchair Invitational a memorable and successful event for all involved.