Sithole and Ramphadi serve up slice of history with bronze feat
OBAKENG MELETSE
Team South Africa’s quad doubles team of Lucas Sithole and Donald Ramphadi found the sweet spots on their racquets to make history by winning the country’s first Paralympic wheelchair tennis medal in the third-place play-off against Brazil at Roland Garros.
The pair also became the continent’s first wheelchair tennis athletes to win any medal after defeating Leandro Pena and Ymanitu Silva 6-2 6-4, holding their nerve to win an intense tiebreak 10-8 and bag the bronze medal at the Paris Games.
They've done it! 🙌
— Tennis South Africa (@TennisSA) September 4, 2024
A massive congratulations to our South African wheelchair tennis stars, Lucas Sithole and Donald Ramphadi, for clinching the bronze medal at the Paralympic Games! 🥉They are the first South Africans to win a wheelchair tennis medal at the @Paralympics.
What… pic.twitter.com/D2NzU7mJeE
Sithole was calm and composed as he showed why he has US Open singles and Australian Open doubles Grand Slam titles under his belt, and he was well complemented by Ramphadi’s attack-minded play. The 31-year-old Ramphadi added to his French Open doubles victory from last year after he was only cleared to compete in the quad division of tennis in 2018.
Overjoyed and humbled by their achievements, the pair could not hold back their excitement and Sithole was grateful to his partner for being able to keep his cool under pressure even through some of the errors.
“It is very big for the both of us but also for the people of South Africa, the kids who look up to us – I hope it inspires them,” an excited Sithole said in the post-match interviews with ITFtennis.com.
“Paralympic bronze medallist sounds really good, it is our first big medal playing together and we are very happy to write history. It is the first Paralympic wheelchair tennis medal for Africa and we’re very happy.
“I was so happy to play with Donald today. He brought his A-game, even though he was nervous and made double faults – he owes me a whiskey.”
𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐙𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀 🇿🇦
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) September 4, 2024
Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole get the job done in the quad doubles bronze medal match 😤#Paralympics pic.twitter.com/OuKCtSvwd8
The 37-year-old Sithole lost the use of his legs and left arm in a train accident, and he battled through challenges on and off the court to be where he is today.
After having played the sport for nearly 19 years, his experience and exposure on the world stage allowed him to strike a perfect balance between enjoying the occasion and fighting hard for the win.
“One of the most important things was just having fun, and that’s what we did and how we won. We were here to win today, not just (be) present. We made mistakes – we are human beings – but we kept hitting those balls and we’re so happy.”
“This venue is something special,” said Ramphadi.
Between 2022 and this year the 31-year-old had been knocked out in five singles competition semi-finals and a further three in doubles, while he also lost three finals between last year and this year.
His pairing with Brit Andy Lapthorne led to a French Open doubles Grand Slam victory at Roland Garros last year, and Ramphadi wishes he could take the court with him everywhere he goes.
“Last year I won my first Grand Slam here on my birthday, now I have a Paralympic bronze medal. For me, to be here and winning a medal is crazy – I am just going to enjoy the moment.”