Hewitt and Reid into third straight gold medal match at Paris 2024

By James Toney in Paris

Norwich’s Alfie Hewett and doubles partner Gordon Reid can empathise with that quote - available in every tacky souvenir shop here - about Paris always being a good idea.

Playing together on the red clay of Roland Garros they are unbeaten in five years, a run of dominance they've not matched in other Slams.

A partisan crowd on Suzanne Lenglen did their best to will the opposite but they booked their place in the Paralympic wheelchair men's doubles final with a 6-4 6-3 victory over French fourth seeds Frederic Cattaneo and Stephane Houdet.

Between them they've won 25 Grand Slam doubles titles, including seven wins here in the French captial but they've lost the last two Paralympic finals when red-hot favourites and it stings.

Houdet - with former partner Nicolas Peifer - had Hewett and Reid's measure in both those matches, revenge duly served cold with Japan's Takuya Miki and Tokito Oda, the number two seeds, now awaiting in the final.

"It was electric in there, we're used to the crowd being for us but I just loved it and thrived in that atmosphere," said Hewett, who is part of Aldi’s Nearest and Dearest programme in partnership with ParalympicsGB, helping to maximise support and minimise potential distractions for athletes so that they can focus on their performance.

"It was just a feeling of relief against him (Houdet), you do carry a bit of trauma when you've lost two Paralympic finals against the same player.

"We've played Takuya and Tokito a lot in recent Slams and we know what to expect, they are very dangerous opponents. They are a very well drilled and motivated team.

"We're guaranteed a medal but we'll be disappointed if we don't come away with a gold, coming away with another silver is not really in our thoughts right now."

Hewett is looking to secure a Golden Slam in singles too, scarred by defeats to Reid in Rio and Tokyo.

His historic win at Wimbledon just a few weeks ago means he could complete the set here, where he last won the French Open singles in 2021.

Seeded number one, he brushed aside Dutch rival Ruben Spaargarten in his quarter-final, though Reid was beaten by Fernando Gustavo, who could well be Hewett's greatest threat.

"I don't feel the pressure of our record, we take confidence from it," said Reid. "We're used to these courts, used to these conditions and we've had great results here.

"I didn't feel great after my singles, I don't think I'd really processed it well enough before going on court and I was a bit slow. Alfie helped me through and supported me and sticking together as a team is a thing we do well.

"Alfie is the world number one, he's playing so well and he's the one to beat in the singles for me."

Aldi are proud Official Partners of Team GB & ParalympicsGB, supporting all athletes through to Paris 2024.