‘That kills me’ – Seven-time Australian Open champion Dylan Alcott cries tears of joy from Andy Murray message
While Dylan Alcott may not quite have had the most perfect farewell after losing the Australian Open quad singles final, he was truly honoured to receive a personal message from three-time Slam champion Andy Murray.
At the age of 31, 23-time quad tennis Slam champion and 2021 Golden Slam winner Alcott has called time on his professional tennis career.
He played his last ever match in the Australian Open final on Rod Laver Arena today as he looked to win an incredible eighth consecutive Melbourne singles title.
While it was not quite meant to be for Alcott, his loss to 22-year-old rival Sam Schröder of The Netherlands is a symbolic passing of the torch to the next generation of top disability tennis players.
“Firstly, congratulations to Sam [Schröder], you deserved to win today, you were definitely the better player,” Alcott began his ceremony speech after the match.
“Congratulations brother, you’ll be winning many of these I reckon.”
Schröder has a long way to go to match Alcott’s Slam tally but already has two singles and two doubles crowns to his name.
In an extended post-match press conference, Alcott spoke about how proud he is to be an advocate for disability sport and how happy he is to see the change happening within and around it.
While fielding a journalist’s question, the Aussie was looking at his phone when a message that came through took him aback.
“Here you go, this just sums up how it’s changed.
“I hope he doesn’t mind this but Andy Murray just messaged me “I don’t know if I’ve articulated it that well but you’re an absolute rockstar and inspiration, thanks for everything that you’ve done.”
“That kills me, it makes me want to cry,” he continued.
“It’s special, just like, you’re a part of it.
“It’s like that everywhere man, I never thought that would happen.”
Alcott ends his career with 15 singles Slam titles, two Paralympic singles gold medals from Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, eight Slam doubles crowns, and a Paralympic doubles gold and silver medal from Tokyo 2020.
He also won the Calendar Golden Slam in 2021 by winning all four Slams in singles and gold at the Tokyo Paralympics.
In 20 Slam doubles appearances, Alcott never failed to reach the final, except at this year’s event where he and partner Heath Davidson lost to top seeds Schröder and Niels Vink in the semi-finals.
Finally, Alcott also won the 2018 Masters.
? Read >> Breaking tennis news
? Follow >> 24/7 LIVE scores
? Free >> Receive our legendary newsletter
? Join >> Tennishead CLUB, the world’s only virtual tennis club
? Social >>Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube
? Order >> World’s best tennis magazine
? Shop >> Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted retail partner