The 27-year-old professional wheelchair tennis player already has 10 Grand Slam singles titles to his name, alongside a whopping 22 doubles championship crowns.
Add in three Paralympic Games medals – one gold, two silver – and it soon becomes apparent Hewett is an undisputed force of the game.
What you might not see, however, is the quiet revolution that is happening behind the scenes. One driven by research, innovation, and partnerships that keep Alfie ahead of his competitors both on and off the court.
In the latest collaborative project, Loughborough University, the UK Sports Institute (UKSI), The LTA and Sheen Parasport have joined forces to look at biomechanics improvements and the performance of Alfie’s wheelchair.
The project with Alfie is the latest strand in Loughborough University’s long-standing partnership with the UKSI and the LTA to successfully answer pertinent performance questions associated with chair set up for elite wheelchair players.
Vicky Tolfrey, Professor of Applied Disability Sport and Director of the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport explained: “The project team got together, and we decided to bring Alfie to Loughborough, where we have our laboratory to look at the biomechanics and use our specialised wheelchair ergometer.
“Alfie is at the top of his game, but there are always competitors and rivals looking to knock you off the podium. Mike (owner of Sheen Parasport) has been exploring whether we could utilise his lower extremities, his legs, for some added leverage, focusing on leg position and the chair frame.
“By using biomechanical analysis and measuring his [Alfie’s] push forces on our wheelchair ergometer, the UKSI and Loughborough have been looking at how we can optimise and build an evidence base to see whether certain parameters have improved and how that may transfer to wheelchair tennis performance.”
Speaking about the impact of the chair, Mike Sheen, owner of Sheen Parasport, said: “It doesn't necessarily make you a great tennis player, but it enables you to get the best out of yourself.
“There are small performance gains, things like rolling resistance, manoeuvrability, and straight-line speed, that can really help develop a player's game.”
Alison Macpherson, Performance Innovation Consultant at The UK Sports Institute, explained how Loughborough provides an elite environment for such studies: “The research here at Loughborough is world-class. There's extensive knowledge about Paralympic athletes, particularly within the Peter Harrison Centre.
“We’ve developed a strong partnership with Loughborough University, so questions researchers are asking have a direct route to impacting performance on court in the Paralympic environment.”
Hewett is conscious of the research efforts and how science can give him an advantage on the court: “I'm very happy with the ten singles Grand Slams I’ve won and the success I’ve had over the years,” he said.
“Continuing to work in the lab and look for ways to improve really reflects what my team and I are all about. Even on this short journey, we've already found marginal gains that could have a big impact on the court.”
