GORDON Reid suffered a double defeat over the weekend as the Helensburgh wheelchair tennis star rounded off a successful 2024 in disappointing fashion in the Netherlands.
The final tournament of the year, the NEC Masters in Arnhem, started promisingly for Reid as he beat Frenchman Stephane Houdet in his opening group match, before losing to Japanese top seed Tokito Oda in his next tie.
Reid then overcame Argentina's Gustavo Fernandez in the round robin stage to progress to the knockouts.
And he comfortably made it through a tough contest against Spanish opponent Martin De la Puente, winning 6-2, 6-1 to book his slot in Sunday's final where he faced off against familiar foe Oda.
Unfortunately for Reid, who claimed a doubles gold medal at the Paris Paralympic earlier this summer, it was the men's singles world number one who earned the top prize - despite losing the first set 6-2 to the Scot.
Competing in his third Masters singles final and first since 2017, former world number one Reid got off to an electric start, rattling off four straight games from 2-2 to clinch the opening set.
Celebrating our @ParalympicsGB Wheelchair Tennis stars 👑🇬🇧@alfiehewett6, @GordonReid91 & @AndyLapthorne met His Majesty King Charles III at Buckingham Palace pic.twitter.com/hRzWfbylNQ
— LTA (@the_LTA) November 8, 2024
Oda had been struggling with a back issue but after receiving treatment he was back to his brilliant best in the second set.
The 18-year-old has won the Australian Open, French Open and Paralympic gold medal this year and quickly levelled the scores after a 16-minute set in which he dropped just three points.
Reid fought his way back into the match early in the third, but a second break of the set at 4-2 all but sealed Oda’s second Masters singles title in three years.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Reid and partner Alfie Hewett missed out on another doubles win when they went down 6-4, 6-2 in the final to De la Puente and Belgian Joachim Gerard.
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