Heath
Davidson

Having returned from a decade’s long hiatus just over a year out from the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Heath Davidson proved that he had what it took to become one of the best wheelchair tennis players in the world when he and quad doubles partner Dylan Alcott combined to win the 2016 International Tennis Federation World Team Cup in Tokyo, Japan.

Not only was it a history-making moment for Australian wheelchair tennis, but it gave Heath his first taste of international success and the motivation he needed to push towards Rio.

In Rio, Heath and Dylan were dynamic. They began their quad doubles campaign with a commanding 1-4, 4-6 win over Shota Kawano and Mitsuteru Moroishi (JPN), and ended it with a brilliant come-from-behind win over reigning Paralympic champs Nick Taylor and David Wagner (USA) to take gold. In recognition of their incredible feat, Heath and Dylan were named joint winners of Tennis Australia’s Most Oustanding Athlete with a Disability award.

Since making his Paralympic debut, Heath has improved out of sight. He won his first international quad singles title in May 2017, and his first of three Australian Open quad doubles titles in 2018. He is the ranked world No. 2 in the quad doubles and sits just outside the top five in the singles.

At Tokyo 2020, Heath paired with Dylan Alcott in the men’s quads doubles to clinch the silver medal. The Australian pair went down to Sam Schroder and Niels Vink of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-3 in the gold medal final.

In the men’s quad singles, he was knocked out in the quarterfinals when he lost to Sam Schroder of the Netherlands 6-2, 6-1.