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Aussie Alcott wins gold, defends Para tennis title

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Dylan Alcott’s dream of a “golden slam” is alive after the Australian won the Paralympics quad singles final against Dutchman Sam Schroder.

World No.1 Alcott edged Schroder 7-6 (7-2) 6-1 on Saturday to successfully defend his Paralympic wheelchair title from Rio.

The 30-year-old will depart Tokyo for the US Open, where he will try to make it a perfect five from five after also winning the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon crowns in 2021.

The singles win was sweet revenge for Alcott after he and Heath Davidson surrendered their Paralympic doubles crown to Schroder and Niels Vink.

Alcott started with a bang, breaking No.2-ranked Schroder to love to lead 2-0, but then only won one of the next six games.

Channelling Lleyton Hewitt’s trademark ‘C’mon’, Alcott willed himself to a first-set win after trailing 3-5.

Alcott was able to break back and then consolidate before he steamed through the tiebreak to clinch the set.

With all the momentum, the second set was a mostly one-sided affair with Alcott sweeping through in 40 minutes.

McGrath adds Paralympic canoe gold to haul

Curtis McGrath shows off his gold medal from the VL3 200m canoe sprint race at the Paralympic Games. (AP PHOTO)

Meanwhile, unstoppable sprint paddler Curtis McGrath has clinched another Paralympic gold after smashing the field in the VL3 200m on Saturday.

It was McGrath’s second medal in Tokyo after also winning the men’s kayak single 200m KL2 final, successfully defending his title from Rio.

The VL3 is raced in a va’a – an outrigger canoe with a single-blade paddle.

The 33-year-old again got off to a slow start on the Sea Forest Waterway course, but stormed home in the back end of the 200m to finish 1.611 seconds clear of Brazilian Giovane Vieira de Paula.

Great Britain’s Stuart Wood, who set a Paralympic best time in the heat, collected bronze.

AAP

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