Hewett was on the brink of securing a first singles title at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in London but let a 5-2 lead in the deciding set slip as he was beaten 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 by his 38-year-old opponent.

The result clinched Kunieda's 28^th singles Grand Slam title and 50^th overall.

"It was one of the most tough matches in my career," said Kunieda.

"Mentally is my biggest weapon.

"If I am behind in a situation, tough situation, I never give up.

"I said to myself, I can do it.

"I know what to do.

"That's only way."

After failing to serve out the second set, Hewett led 5-2 in the third and had two more chances to close it out, only for Kunieda to level the score at 5-5.

He broke again to lead 6-5 but a fourth opportunity to win went begging and he was outplayed in the subsequent tiebreak.

"I'm obviously gutted," said Hewett.

"That is going to sting for a while.

"It has been incredible this week to get wheelchair tennis on Court One and to get the amount of spectators that were there.

"There have been some incredible matches.

"I will reflect on this with a lot of positives and I'm just ready for a break.

"Congratulations to Shingo and his team.

"We were both so desperate to win.

"You are one of the best wheelchair players we will ever see.

"That was epic from you today."

In the women's wheelchair doubles final, Japan's Yui Kamiji and Dana Mathewson of the United States pulled off a shock victory against Dutch top seeds Diede de Groot and Aniek van Koot.

The unseeded pair beat the 2019 champions in straight sets 6-1, 7-5.

There was an all Dutch clash in the quad wheelchair singles final as Sam Schröder beat Niels Vink 7-6, 6-1 in the decider.

Shroder and Vink then combined to play Britain's Andy Lapthorne and David Wagner of the US in the quad wheelchair doubles final, with the Dutch pair winning 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 in just under two and a half hours.