Three hours before the first ATP semifinal, the Centre Court belonged to the wheelchair tennis players. Reid, a 29-time Grand Slam champion, faced Houdet, a 24-time Grand Slam winner.
From the very start, Reid took command of the match, keeping his opponent under pressure with powerful groundstrokes. The world No. 5 sealed the first set 6–3 and closed out the second 6–1. The winner of this inaugural invitational event received €5,000 in prize money.
“An Incredible Experience”
“It was an incredible experience to be here,” said Reid after his triumph. “From the first minute, everyone treated us with so much respect — we truly felt like part of the tournament family. Playing today on Centre Court in front of such a great crowd was amazing — that’s what every player dreams of. This feels like the beginning of something really special, and I’m excited to see what happens in the years to come. A big thank-you also to Nico — without his commitment, none of this would have been possible.”
Houdet, who received €4,000 as runner-up, paid tribute to his opponent: “Gordon was too strong today, but I’ll gladly come back.” The 54-year-old was especially happy to be competing in Austria again: “I have a special connection to this country — not only because I once saw Thomas Muster training while sitting down, but also because I had my motorcycle accident in Mondsee. The Austrian emergency responders saved my life. I’m very happy to be back here and to share this moment with you.”
Reid Also Wins the Doubles Title
The doubles competition was played in a round-robin format — and once again, Reid came out on top, this time alongside Joachim Gérard (BEL). After winning the singles title, the Scotsman headed to the Marx Halle for the day’s final match, where he and Gérard faced Nico Langmann and Alwande Sikhosana (RSA). Reid and Gérard prevailed 6–1, 6–4, following up on their earlier 6–2, 6–1 victory over Houdet/Scheffers (NED) to secure a perfect record.
Langmann Delighted Despite Defeats
Tournament ambassador and local favorite Nico Langmann was all smiles despite his losses in singles and doubles: “Things didn’t go perfectly on court, but after my slipped disc a few weeks ago, my main goal was simply to get fit again. It was worth it — this experience was absolutely breathtaking. Thank you to everyone who came out and created such an incredible atmosphere. Alongside the Paralympic Games in Paris, this has been the greatest moment of my career and the most emotional one. What we’ve achieved here this week is an amazing foundation for the future.”
