Australian Open 2026 results: Britons Alfie Hewitt and Andy Lapthorne defeated

The defense of the Australian Open men’s wheelchair singles title for Alfie Hewitt ended in the semi-finals with defeat to Spaniard Martin de la Puente.

The top seed, winner of ten Grand Slam titles, lost 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 27 minutes.

Hewitt (28 years old) fell in the same stage in the men’s doubles alongside Gordon Reed on Thursday, and lost in a tiebreaker to Japanese Tokito Oda and Argentine Gustavo Fernandez.

The British duo was targeting a seventh consecutive title in Melbourne.

De la Puente, seeded third, will face Oda, seeded second and 2024 champion, in the final as he seeks his first title at the Australian Open.

In the quadruple doubles, Britain’s Andy Lapthorne also failed to defend his title, as he lost to top seeds Jay Sasson and Niels Fink 6-3, 6-1, along with his Australian partner, Heath Davidson, in the final.

Second seed Lapthorne was looking for a third straight men’s doubles title – and ninth overall – in Melbourne, having beaten Sassoon/Fink in straight sets in last year’s final, partnered by Sam Schroeder.

The 35-year-old is a 16-time Grand Slam doubles champion and two-time singles champion.