THE last time Gordon Reid came to wider attention he was mimicking an inebriated Rod Stewart as he pulled an Old Firm semi-final out of the Scottish Cup hat. But the 26-year-old from Helensburgh will be making an exhibition of himself in a different way today – one of a number of the world’s top wheelchair tennis stars showing off their skills at the Fever-Tree Championships at Queen’s Club to prove that their form of the sport can be a big draw for spectators.
Five of the world’s top eight exponents of the wheelchair form of the sport have eschewed ranking points elsewhere to use the traditional West London event as their warm-up for Wimbledon this year, the hope being that it won’t be long before the two events can co-exist on a permanent basis at the ATP Tour event, much like they do at the four Grand Slams and other far-sighted tour events such as the ABN-AMRO championships in Rotterdam each February.
“I played an exhibition doubles match at Queen’s Club once, back in 2015, and it is a great event at a great venue,” Reid told Herald Sport.
“The club itself and the tournament have embraced having a wheelchair event there, it is just the red tape
they have to go through now, but hopefully as soon as possible they will be able to get it on the tour as a wheelchair event.
“The fact that five out of the top eight players have chosen to go to Queen’s where there are no ranking points at stake instead shows the thinking of the top guys and how we want the tour to evolve,” he added. “It is the way a lot of players see the future of the sport going, with more integration with the main tour.
“The courts at Queen’s are probably as good as the Wimbledon ones in terms of the quality of the grass,” he added. “It will be good to get some match play on that, which is something I have not had a lot of in previous years. And a chance to play in front of British fans as well, which is something I always love as a British player.”
As for that Old Firm match, which ended in a 4-0 defeat for Reid’s beloved Rangers, is wasn’t quite the ending he had in mind. “I was just having a laugh with it,” he said. “My brother was winding me up before it, saying ‘you have to do it the way Rod Stewart did’.
“Everyone at the draw was quite light-hearted so I thought I would try to bring a bit of humour to it. Half the fans were raging because I had drawn out Celtic, half were happy because it was another Old Firm match.”
Reid, a former World No.1 in both singles and doubles, has two Grand Slam singles titles (and an Olympic gold medal) and seven doubles titles to his name. While his French Open campaign came to an end at the semi-final stage in both disciplines, he feels he is returning to his best form ahead of a venue which tends to bring out the best in him.
One sign of that form was when the Scot delighted his kit sponsor Uniqlo when winning both the singles and doubles at the Japan Open, taking care of home favourite Shingo Kunieda in the singles final. Indeed, if recent speculation is to be believed, Roger Federer may soon be about to join Reid, Kunieda and Kei Nishikori on the Uniqlo roster. “I am feeling good about my tennis just now, I am playing with a lot of confidence,” he said. “Wimbledon is always extra special for me, but I build my year around all the four of the Grand Slams.”
Reid, who was struck down with transverse myelitis as a teenager, is a man with surprising depths. Also a Scotland youth wheelchair basketball international, he is a distant relative of Craig and Charlie of Proclaimers fame – even if he “absolutely can’t carry at tune”.
At Queen’s this week, he is delighted to be back sharing a bill with his countryman Andy Murray, even though the former World No.1 went down to Australia’s Nick Kyrgios on Tuesday after a hugely impressive performance on his return from hip surgery.
“Just speaking as a Scottish tennis fan, everybody has been desperate to see Andy back playing,” said Reid.
“He has done the right thing by taking the time he needs. I think he has been pretty smart with the way he has done it so far. It must have been very frustrating for him, but hopefully he can be back to his very best soon.”
Reid, who goes through most of his practice at the University of Stirling, was delighted by the news the facility had been chosen to host one of two LTA national tennis academies.
“It is fantastic news for the Uni and for Tennis Scotland,” said Reid. “If it is going to affect me it is going to be for the positive, a great training environment for me to be around and to be involved in. Hopefully it will help us produce more tennis players in the future.”
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