One of Australia’s most popular sports stars, Dylan Alcott, has announced he will retire from tennis after the 2022 Australian Open.
The 30-year-old, who this year won the Golden Slam – all four major titles plus a Paralympic gold medal – will bring down the curtain on a remarkable career that has so far seen the Melburnian win 23 Grand Slam titles, with 15 of those coming in singles.
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He also won five Paralympic medals, three for tennis and two for wheelchair basketball.
“It’s perfect to finish at the top, and for Dylan to have the chance to go to the Australian Open and receive the accolades that he deserves,” Australian tennis legend Todd Woodbridge told Wide World of Sports.
“I’ve seen Roger Federer manage his time and the stress and still achieve great things, but Dylan takes that to another level.
“To be able to cope with the attention that Dylan gets in Melbourne, while not losing focus, or getting angry or tired, it shows what an amazing person he is.”
Woodbridge said that Alcott’s achievements transcend tennis.
“For me he is one of our greatest athletes, for what he’s opened up for so many other people. He’s proven to every athlete what they’re capable of doing,” he explained.
“Just being around Dylan is so motivating, he’s been an extraordinary role model for so many people.”
Following in the path of the likes of David Hall and Danni Di Toro, who did so much to put wheelchair tennis on the map, Dylan took the sport to the next level.
“Dylan’s personality has driven that sport to the highest levels internationally,” Woodbridge noted.
“He has helped to create better equality, better prizemoney and better exposure.
“The weren’t going to play the wheelchair events at last year’s US Open, and with a statement from him he was able to get that decision overturned, and get the organisers to realise it was the wrong thing to do.
“He has given so many people the opportunity to make a career out of wheelchair tennis.
“His biggest contribution to show the community that having a disability shouldn’t hold you back.”
Alcott had flagged that the end was near, saying after his US Open win in September that “I don’t know if I’ll be back here.”
He’ll retire having won all four major titles in both singles and doubles.
With capacity crowds a possibility for January’s Australian Open, more than 750,000 fans will have the opportunity to say farewell to Alcott in style, as he seeks an eighth straight title in Melbourne.
“It will be great for him to take in the accolades that he so richly deserves,” Woodbridge said.
“There’s no doubt that in five years time, he will be inducted into both the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
“That’s the greatest honour you can have within our sport.”
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