Heath Davidson
OAM
2016 Australian Paralympic team portrait
Country (sports)Australia
ResidenceLangwarrin, Victoria[1]
Born (1987-05-09) 9 May 1987
Rosebud, Victoria, Australia
Singles
Career record104–86 (54.7%)[2]
Highest rankingNo. 4 (16 April 2018)[2]
Current rankingNo. 7 (15 February 2021)[2]
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenSF (2022)
French OpenSF (2022)
WimbledonF (2023)
US OpenQF (2021, 2022, 2023)
Other tournaments
Paralympic GamesQF (2016, 2020)
Doubles
Career record107–42 (71.8%)[2]
Highest rankingNo. 1 (9 December 2019)[2]
Current rankingNo. 4 (30 August 2021)[2]
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
French OpenF (2022, 2023)
WimbledonF (2023)
US OpenF (2021)
Other doubles tournaments
Masters DoublesW (2019)
Paralympic GamesW (2016)
Medal record
Men's wheelchair tennis
Representing  Australia
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Quad doubles
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo Quad doubles

Heath Arthur Davidson, OAM (born 9 May 1987) is an Australian wheelchair tennis player. Davidson is a four-time Australian Open doubles champion, all partnering Dylan Alcott. He has also won two Paralympic medals, a gold and silver in doubles at the 2016 Rio[3][4][5] and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics,[6] respectively (both also partnering Alcott).

Early life

Davidson was born on 9 May 1987.[7] He contracted viral transverse myelitis at the age of five months and this led to paraplegia.[8] He attended Parkdale Secondary College in Melbourne.[8]

Tennis

Davidson started playing wheelchair tennis at the age of 14.[8] In 2001, At the Australian Disabled Games in Queensland he won a bronze medal in wheelchair tennis and two silver medals for table tennis.[8] After ten years he retired from the sport.[9]

After Davidson returned to wheelchair tennis, he teamed with Dylan Alcott to win the prestigious BNP Paribas World Team Cup held in Tokyo, Japan in May 2016. They upset Great Britain in the final.[3] Davidson and Alcott won the Men's Quad Doubles gold medal at the Rio Paralympics.[5] They defeated the reigning champions David Wagner and Nick Taylor in the gold medal match 4–6, 6–4, 7–5.[5][10] In the Men's Quad Singles, Davidson lost to Andy Lapthorne (GBR) 0–2 (1–6, 2–6) in the quarter-finals.[5]

In May 2017, Davidson won his first international quad singles title by winning the Korea Open.[11] In 2019, Davidson and his partner Niels Vink won the 2019 Wheelchair Tennis Masters in quad doubles.[12]

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, he teamed with Alcott to win the Men's Quad Doubles silver medal. He lost in the Men's Quad Singles quarter final.

Recognition

Davidson won the Variety Australia Young Sports Achievers Award in 2003 with Dylan Alcott.[13] In 2016, he shared Tennis Australia's Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability with doubles partner Dylan Alcott.[14] He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2017.[15] In 2022, he was awarded Tennis Australia's Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability.[16]

Grand Slam tournament finals

Quad singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss2023WimbledonGrassNetherlands Niels Vink1–6, 2–6

Quad doubles: 8 (4 titles, 4 runner-ups

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss2017Australian OpenHardAustralia Dylan AlcottUnited Kingdom Andrew Lapthorne
United States David Wagner		3–6, 3–6
Winner2018Australian OpenHardAustralia Dylan AlcottUnited Kingdom Andrew Lapthorne
United States David Wagner		6–0, 6–7(5–7), [10–6]
Winner2019Australian Open (2)HardAustralia Dylan AlcottUnited Kingdom Andrew Lapthorne
United States David Wagner		6–3, 6–7(6–8), [12–10]
Winner2020Australian Open (3)HardAustralia Dylan AlcottUnited Kingdom Andrew Lapthorne
United States David Wagner		6–4, 6–3
Winner2021Australian Open (4)HardAustralia Dylan AlcottUnited Kingdom Andrew Lapthorne
United States David Wagner		6–2, 3–6, [10–7]
Loss2021US OpenHardAustralia Dylan AlcottNetherlands Sam Schröder
Netherlands Niels Vink		3–6, 2–6
Loss2022French OpenClayBrazil Ymanitu SilvaNetherlands Sam Schröder
Netherlands Niels Vink		2–6, 2–6
Loss2023WimbledonGrassCanada Robert ShawNetherlands Sam Schröder
Netherlands Niels Vink		6–7(5–7), 0–6

References

  1. ↑ "Heath Davidson – Paralympics Australia". paralympic.org.au. Paralympics Australia.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Heath Davidson Player Profile". itftennis.com. International Tennis Federation. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  3. 1 2 "KELLERMAN, WEEKES NAMED IN PARALYMPIC TEAM". Tennis NSW website. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "Paralympic glory in sight for Australia's wheelchair tennis athletes". Australian Paralympic Committee website. Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Heath Davidson". Rio Paralympics Official site. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  6. ↑ "Australia's Wheelchair Tennis Quartet Confirmed For Tokyo 2020". Paralympics Australia. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  7. ↑ "Heath Davidson – Paralympics Australia". paralympic.org.au. Paralympics Australia.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Baskett, Sarah (29 November 2011). "Heath has a ball on court". Herald Sun.
  9. ↑ "Heath Davidson". Australian Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  10. ↑ Walsh, Scott (14 September 2016). "2016 Rio Paralympics: Aussie Dylan Alcott, Heath Davidson win tennis gold in quad doubles". Adelaide Advertiser. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  11. ↑ "AUSSIE RESULTS DAILY UPDATE, 29 MAY 2017". Tennis Australia website. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  12. ↑ "op seeds win two of three Doubles titles". International Tennis Federation. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  13. ↑ "Variety Awards". Variety Australia website. Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  14. ↑ "Alcott awarded 2016 Newcombe Medal". Tennis Australia website. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "OAM Final Media Notes (A-E)" (PDF). Governor General of Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 January 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  16. ↑ "Winners announced at the 2022 Australian Tennis Awards". Tennis Australia. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
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