Why is Australian Tennis Legend Dylan Alcott Retiring and What’s Next for Him?

One of the most popular figures in all of Australia, Dylan Alcott is a wheelchair tennis legend. Furthermore, he is a radio show host, a motivational speaker, and even a wheelchair basketball player. Sadly, his long and remarkable Tennis career will come to an end after the Australian Open 2022 finishes.

Over the course of his decorated career, Alcott has accomplished many extraordinary feats. Moreover, he has even won several Grand Slam championships and even Olympic Gold Medals.

Alcott announced that he would be retiring from the sport, and AO 2022 would be his swan song.

Dylan Alcott’s sporting accomplishments

The 31-year-old legend has won 15 Grand Slams over his storied professional career. In fact, he has also won 8 doubles Grand Slam titles too.

Furthermore, he even achieved the Golden Slam in 2021, which was undoubtedly the crowning jewel in his epic list of achievements. Dylan Alcott won all four Grand Slams in the year 2021, and to top it off, also brought home the Gold Medal from the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

As a junior player, Alcott had already cracked the top 5 ranking in the world at age 16. Notably, the New Zealand Open in 2014 was only his second tournament appearance, but he won the tournament. Then, he tasted Grand Slam success for the first time in January 2015, when he won the quad wheelchair Australian Open.

By the end of 2015, Alcott had already bagged the US Open trophy as well. In 2018, he won his first doubles Grand Slam at the Australian Open. Later, 2019 was an amazing year for Dylan Alcott when he won three Grand Slam singles titles (except the US Open where he was the finalist), and all four doubles Grand Slams as well.

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The phenom won his first Gold Medals in 2016 at the Summer Paralympics in both the singles and doubles categories. Then, in 2019, Dylan Alcott completed the Calendar Slam in doubles, winning all four Grand Slams of the year. Subsequently, two years later, he won the coveted and elusive Golden Slam, winning all four Grand Slams along with the Olympic Gold Medal in the same year.

Why is the tennis legend retiring?

Even though his significant achievements have propelled him forward and amplified his voice by giving him a public image and platform, Alcott is unhappy that this is not the case for other athletes with disabilities.

Alcott revealed how he felt when he saw that more accomplished people than him had never had the platform that he did. “They were all advocates and I knew they were like that, but they’ve just never been given the same platform that someone like myself,” he expressed.

Moreover, he also feels bad that the great players with disabilities who paved the way for him were not as popular as him. “I think that’s crap,” Alcott expressed. “They deserve to be the same.”

Dylan Alcott will now retire from sports after the Australian Open 2022. This could potentially be his sixteenth Grand Slam and his eighth Australian Open title. “My time is done,” Alcott revealed as the reason for his retirement. According to him, it is now time for other players to take the spotlight and the platform.

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Moreover, he also expressed how he does not doubt the Australian public’s fandom. He trusts that the public would shower other athletes with the same love, support, and adoration that he gained over the years.

What’s next for Dylan Alcott?

Even though he is hanging up the gloves (racket in his case) when it comes to the sport, Alcott is not going to stop fighting for differently-abled athletes.

With the announcement of his retirement, Alcott had also shared his thoughts on what’s next for him. He confirmed his inclination towards politics, and he is now going to look to run for office.

Moreover, Dylan Alcott had also been extensively involved with charities and foundations. Owing to his contributions off the court for Australians with disabilities, Alcott was also named the Victorian Australian of the Year in 2021.

Alcott made wheelchair tennis more visible than ever. Now, he will aim to use his platform to continue aiding and assisting the lives of Australians with disabilities. Alcott stated that the political sphere would provide him the ability to bring about a lot of change.

Furthermore, he also feels that a lot of policies for disabled people come from tables that do not include them. Thus, inclusivity in policymaking is something he might look to change by running for office.

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