DYLAN Alcott has capped a stellar year by becoming the first wheelchair athlete to win the Newcombe Medal last night.

The three-time Paralympic gold medallist, 25, began his year by defending his Australian Open singles quad wheelchair championship.

Alcott also won the South Africa Open, Japan Open, Open de France, British Open and World Team Cup alongside Heath Davidson.

He was last night rewarded with Australian tennis’s highest honour for the first time.

“These big top awards are normally reserved for the best able-bodied athlete to be honest so to have a disabled athlete there, a Paralympic athlete, is just a massive glass ceiling-smashing effort by Tennis Australia,’’ Alcott said today.

“To get a big hug and kiss on stage off ‘Newk’ after I did it, and he said that I was such a deserving winner really means a lot to me and the Paralympic movement.”

The world No.1 was recently named GQ Sportsman of the Year and Australian Paralympian of the Year.

The other medal nominees were three-time winner Sam Stosur, Daria Gavrilova, John Millman, Jordan Thompson and John Peers.

media_camera Dylan Alcott poses with past and present Australian tennis players after winning the Newcombe Medal at the 2016 Newcombe Medal

Stosur recently lauded the success of Alcott, who has also been honoured with an Order of Australia Medal.

“Dylan is obviously the standout (nominee) with his two gold medals (at the Rio Olympics) and what’s he’s been able to achieve this year on top of many years,” she said.

The move to overlook top-ranked pair Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic for the award was yesterday welcomed by tennis legend John Newcombe, after whom the medal is named.

media_camera Alcott and his partner Kate Lawrance. Picture: David Smith

Kyrgios was invited to last night’s ceremony at Crown Palladium but did not attend.

His season ended with a three-week suspension following an on-court meltdown in Shanghai, while Tomic was forced to defend accusations of tanking this year.

“It’s not just about your ability to play tennis,” Newcombe said.

“It’s (also) about how you’ve conducted yourself during the year. It’s not just dependent on your tennis results, it’s a whole package of what’s gone on and how you’ve represented yourself out there.”

The seven-time grand slam winner predicted a big 2017 from world No.13 Kyrgios and 26th-ranked Tomic.

“It’s nothing at all against Bernie and Nick — they’re nice, young blokes and they’ve done terrifically during the year,” Newcombe said.

“Nick seems to be the type of player that can find form ­really quickly. I think Nick will come on fine as long as he’s physically fit.

“I think he’ll do really well in the Australian Open and, all things being equal, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nick in the top six by the end of 2017.

“Everybody in the world thinks the ability is there to do it.”

AND THE WINNERS ARE....

NEWCOMBE MEDAL: Dylan Alcott

PRESIDENT’S SPIRIT OF TENNIS AWARD: Angie Cunningham

COACHING EXCELLENCE - HIGH PERFORMANCE: Des Tyson

JUNIOR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR: Kimberly Birrell & Alex De Minaur

MOST OUTSTANDING ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY: Dylan Alcott & Heath Davidson

Originally published as Paralympic champ snares tennis’s top honour