‘I’m in tears’: Aussie’s classy sportsmanship

The Aussie tennis champion described his semi-final win over Dutch teenager Niels Vink as the best match of his life as he kept his “golden slam” dream alive.Alcott’s performance was exceptional, but his sportsmanship following the match is what the sporting world will remember.At the end of a marathon match that lasted almost three hours, Alcott moved to his opponent’s side of the net before the pair of exhausted players shared an emotinal embrace.Vink, 18, was particularly overcome by the special moment he was sharing with the man he idolised growing up.The pair hugged it out for several seconds with Vink clutching at Alcott’s back and the Aussie 30-year-old patting his opponent’s head.The live TV commentator for the Tokyo Paralympics host broadcast - shared around the world - said the moment left her in tears.“Great show of sportsmanship that is from both of them,” she said.“Huge amount of respect there. It’s making me come to tears here. What a great, great show of sportsmanship.”Alcott after the match revealed what he said to Vink as they hugged it out.“He’s half my age, what a little legend he is, Niels,” said Alcott.“I know he read my book growing up. I sent him a birthday video for his 18th (birthday). We’re mates.“When I hugged him at the end he was in tears. He wouldn’t let go and I just said I was so proud of him, how well he played.“I’m just so proud of him.”He went on to tell Channel 7: “That was the best match I have ever been a part of.“It was special”.Alcott won through to the gold medal match with a 6-4 3-6 6-4 scoreline that went right down to the wire.Kiwi journalist Patrick Skene described the embrace as “the essence of sport”.“Kinda dusty in here! Incredible scenes of sportsmanship, emotion & respect in the Paralympics wheelchair tennis semi final as Aussie Dylan Alcott shared an emotional embrace with young opponent Niels Vink after a titanic back and forth struggle,” he wrote on Twitter.Channel 7’s Luke McGarry also posted: “So much class and sportsmanship from Dylan Alcott.“What an Australian. We are all so proud of him.”Aussie sports commentating legend Brenton Speed also described it as one of the best stories the Olympic movement has seen this year.“This is the moment @DylanAlcott knew he’d played in an epic semi against such an impressive young gun,” he wrote on Twitter.“Top 10 sporting moment in Tokyo over past 2 months! #beautiful.”Alcott and partner Heath Davidson will now face Vink and his teammate Sam Schroder in the Paralympic quad wheelchair doubles final on Wednesday.Alcott won the Australian Open and French Open titles earlier this year and will turn his attention to the US Open after the men’s singles final where he has a chance to complete a golden slam of all five major events in 2021. Via news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://www.news.com.au