Two-time gold medallist and Newcombe Medal winner Dylan Alcott confirms he’ll start next season at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp.
The announcement comes just days after Alcott took home the prestigious Newcombe Medal, ahead of finalists Sam Stosur (QLD), John Millman (QLD), Daria Gavrilova (VIC), John Peers (VIC) and Jordon Thompson (NSW).
“I’m not going to lie, I really wanted to win this award. We have an athlete with a disability category and that’s a huge honour but I see myself as an elite athlete first and foremost who just happens to have a disability who uses a wheelchair to play,” said Alcott.
Alcott is the first disabled athlete to win the prestigious award, after a career-best season that started with the 2016 Brisbane International, where he won both the quad singles and doubles.
“To be recognised with the highest honour means so much to me and for people with a disability, especially kids. We’re often seen as second class citizens. And even though you win the elite athlete with disability award, we weren’t actually good enough to win the able-bodied award and this absolutely smashes that glass ceiling for elite athletes with a disability everywhere.”
The wheelchair event has changed for the 2017 Brisbane International with the sport’s best players to showcase the wheelchair format in exhibition matches in front of packed crowds at the Queensland Tennis Centre. The change will ensure that all matches are played exclusively at the home of the Brisbane International, where in past years the Wheelchair tournament was played at neighbouring venues across Brisbane.
Other players to sign up for the event are Ben Weekes, Alfie Hewitt, Andy Lapthorne and 2016 doubles winner Heath Davidson.