Alcott finishes runner-up in Roland Garros doubles

Australia's Dylan Alcott falls just short in his quest to win a ninth career Grand Slam doubles title.


Monday 07 June 2021
Leigh Rogers
Paris, France
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 05: Dylan Alcott of Australia plays a forehand during his Quad Wheelchair Men's Singles Semi-Final match against David Wagner of USA on day seven of the 2021 French Open at Roland Garros on June 05, 2021 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Brit Andy Lapthorne and American David Wagner are the quad wheelchair doubles champions at Roland Garros, beating Australia's Dylan Alcott and his Dutch partner Sam Schroder in a hard-fought three-set final.

Lapthorne and Wagner won 7-6(1) 4-6 [10-7] in a one-hour and 54-minute battle.

Teaming up for a first time, 30-year-old Alcott and 21-year-old Schroder made a slow start. They found themselves down 2-5 in the opening set, before fighting back to force it into a tiebreak.

After winning only a single point in the tiebreak, Alcott and Schroder briefly regained momentum in the second set. They raced ahead 3-0, only to lose the next four games.

Refusing to panic, Alcott and Schroder clinched the next three games to level the match.

The 30-year-old Lapthorne and 47-year-old Wagner took an early lead in the match tiebreak, moving ahead 5-3.

Winning four of the next five points, Alcott and Schroder established a 7-6 advantage. However, Lapthorne and Wagner won the final four points of the match to seal victory.

It is a first Roland Garros doubles title for Lapthorne and a third consecutive win in Paris for Wagner.


World No.1 Alcott now turns his attention to the quad wheelchair singles final, where he'll face-off against Schroder in a bid to win his third straight Roland Garros title.

In boys' singles action, Australia's Philip Sekulic gallantly tested top seed Shang Juncheng in the first round.

Shang won 6-4 5-7 7-5 in two hours and 46 minutes against the 17-year-old from Queensland, who was making his Roland Garros debut.

Aussies in action - Roland Garros

TODAY'S RESULTS
Quad wheelchair doubles, final
Andy Lapthorne (GBR)/David Wagner (USA) d Dylan Alcott (AUS)/Sam Schroder (NED) 7-6(1) 4-6 [10-7]

Boys' singles, first round
[1] Shang Juncheng (CHN) d Philip Sekulic (AUS) 6-4 5-7 7-5

COMING UP
Quad wheelchair singles, final
[1] Dylan Alcott (AUS) v Sam Schroder (NED)

Boys' doubles, first round
Philip Sekulic (AUS)/Robin Bertrand (FRA) v Mans Dahlberg (SWE)/Adam Jurajda (CZE)

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