Cajun Classic 2026: Alfie Hewett finishes runner-up to Tokito Oda in men's singles final
• 1 minute read
Alfie Hewett’s hopes of securing a sixth Cajun Classic men’s singles title came to an end on Sunday evening as he was beaten by world No.1 Tokito Oda in a gripping three-set final.
Second seed Hewett confidently took the opening set but the Japanese star fought back to claim a 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Unbeaten in all five of his previous singles finals in Baton Rouge since 2017, Hewett made a tremendous start in his bid to beat Oda forthe first time since the 2025 Australian Open final and showcased almost all of the shots in his extensive armoury as he opened up a 3-0 lead in the first set.
At 5-0, it looked like Hewett might take a 6-0 set off Oda for the first time in his career, especially when the 10-time Grand Slam champion earned himself three set points during the course of the sixth game. Despite Oda etching a game on the board, Hewett went on to secure the opening set on his fifth set point with a sublime backhand dropshot after 35 minutes of action.
However, the momentum shifted in the second set, with Hewett unable to recover after falling 4-1 behind as Oda levelled the match. The deciding set proved just as dramatic, with the Brit battling back from 2-0 down - breaking Oda twice and holding serve to love to draw level at 4-4.
However, the pendulum swung again towards the reigning Australian Open champion and while Hewett saved the first of three match points against him, he was unable to deliver his final dropshot attempt over the net on the next point, handing the victory to Oda.
Hewett, therefore, leaves Baton Rouge as runner-up in singles and doubles and he, Gordon Reid and Lucy Shuker now head to the first ITF-sanctioned world ranking wheelchair tournament to be a part of the Miami Open, with competition starting on Wednesday.
