‘I wanted to show disabled people they can be normal’: Emotional Dylan Alcott moves crowds to tears with poignant speech after winning Australian Open wheelchair title
- Dylan Alcott, 28, won his fifth straight Australian Open title on Saturday
- He posed for selfies and swilled drinks with fans before taking the microphone
- ‘Today was a really special day,’ he said before pausing to wipe the tears
- He said how he always dreamed of showing disabled people they are normal
Dylan Alcott moved Australian Open crowds to tears with a touching speech after he won the men’s singles wheelchair title on Saturday.
The 28-year-old Australian beat American David Wagner 6-4 7-6 (7-2) in a repeat of last year’s final to earn his seventh grand slam trophy.
After creating tennis history with a fifth straight Open title, he posed for selfies and swilled drinks with delirious fans before taking the microphone on court.
Dylan Alcott (pictured with the trophy) moved Australian Open crowds to tears with a touching speech after he won the men’s singles wheelchair title on Saturday
‘Today was a really special day,’ he said before pausing to wipe the tears from his eyes.
With his voice quivering with emotion, he took a deep breath and continued: ‘I remember I was 14 years old and I was lying in bed and all I wanted to do was make it in the mainstream in some way.
‘I wanted to show that people with disability can be elite at what they do. I wanted to show them that they could be normal people, get a job, work, have fun, have a partner, do all the things everyone takes for granted.’
‘I just wanted to see people with a disability succeeding in the mainstream and in the media,’ he continued.
‘Today, because of the Australian Open and the Wide World of Sports, it was broadcast into every single TV in Australia.’
Alcott paused to choke back the tears as the frenzied crowd cheered and wooped.
He went on: ‘That meant a lot to me and it meant a lot to the four and a half million people in Australia with a disability.
During the match, the Melbourne native endured some nervous moments, giving up a 5-2 lead in the second set and sending down two double faults at 5-5
Australia’s Dylan Alcott, right, holds his trophy after defeating United States’ David Wagner, left
In his speech, Alcott made a joke about the custom trainers he had been given for the tournament. ‘They were going to call it the Air Dylan but I can’t jump,’ he said.
‘I hope this is just the start and we can keep going. It’s been great for me but I hope it can be great for a lot more people than just me and I really appreciate every single one of you in this stadium today. It’s unbelievable, this crowd.’
Alcott then made a joke about the custom trainers he had been given for the tournament. ‘They were going to call it the Air Dylan but I can’t jump,’ he said.
Dozens of fans took to social media to praise Alcott, and several said his speech had made them cry.
During the match, the Melbourne native endured some nervous moments, giving up a 5-2 lead in the second set and sending down two double faults at 5-5.
But the 44-year-old Wagner, a six-time major winner, was unable to keep his momentum going in a tiebreaker dominated by Alcott.
A Paralympic gold medallist in tennis and basketball who has earned major sponsorship deals and launched a budding media career, Alcott has arguably brought greater visibility to people with disabilities in sport than any other Australian.
In 2016, he was also the first disabled athlete to win the prestigious Newcombe Medal, the highest individual honour in Australian tennis.
Dozens of fans took to social media to praise Alcott, and several said his speech had made them cry