Zareena got to watch Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole’s partnership bloom as they made Paralympic history by winning bronze in wheelchair tennis.
Paris, France (05 September 2024) – I cannot tell you how chuffed I am for Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole. I’ve been there watching and supporting them through every match of their partnership. Okay, maybe only since Friday the 30th of August, but still, I was there!
A Journey of Success
Both are successful in their own right. Donald was the runner-up in the Quad Doubles at the US Open in 2023 and at the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024. He and his partner, Andy Lapthorne, won the division at Roland Garros in 2023. The bronze medal at the Paralympics, however, he says, is his biggest career highlight.
Lucas was the runner-up in the Quad Doubles at the Australian Open in 2014 and 2015, and in the Quad Singles in 2014 as well. But in 2016, he won the Quad Doubles with partner David Wagner. He was also the runner-up at the US Open in the Quad Doubles in 2013 and 2014. However, his win in the Quad Singles in 2013 at the US Open remains, to this day, his greatest sporting accomplishment.
If you’re wondering why there are no more recent dates for Lucas, it’s because he faced a two-year suspension for being unavailable for the required number of doping control tests, which he served between 2019 and 2021. He was never found to have used any banned substances—rather, at times, he just wasn’t found.
A Time to Watch and a Time to Cheer
But, as with all athletes, they are more than just their wins and challenges. Donald will tell you he’s the loudest person on the court, and it’s hard to disagree. I heard him before I saw him. It was at Alwande Sikhosana’s first game, and Donald was the vibe. He got people clapping and enthused. I don’t think he necessarily meant to; he just started, and others followed.
That energy continued throughout the tournament. In their second match, the French crowd, as they are, loved a bit of call-and-response, and Donald gets vocal when he plays. They sort of, kind of, maybe made the same sounds as he did. I wasn’t sure how he felt about it, so I asked after the match. Donald said he didn’t mind; Lucas chipped in with, “No, he loves it.”
That second match, despite losing to the eventual gold medallists from the Netherlands, was crazy. The crowd repeatedly chanted “[Clap. Clap.] LU-CAS,” ringing throughout the court. Lucas says he has never experienced anything like it at that level before. Not sure where it started, but it was loud and powerful.
Unfortunately, Donald was a little disappointed with the crowd during the bronze medal match. It was like a school sports day, with competing chants rather than war cries. Some decorum would have been appreciated. There was no silence—not for the serves, not during the points—and it wasn’t really asked for either. It wasn’t ideal, but since schools are back in France, there have been a number of groups popping up at events. It’s great for the numbers but tricky if the rules aren’t known or enforced.
The Strength of Partnership
This is where this duo works well together. They told me that’s the beauty of doubles: when one is down, the other is there to lift them up. They are good players, but they had to figure out their communication, movement, and winning ways. And they did just that. Lucas said after their victory that the flag was heavy on their shoulders, but that’s why they couldn’t give up. They won the first set convincingly, had a bit of a wobble in the second set, but found enough to close out the game.
A first for South Africa. A first for Africa in wheelchair tennis. A first for a partnership that looks like it will continue. Lucas is rejoining the tennis circuit, so there may be more chances for the pair to fly our very heavy flag. Personally, I think being on the podium suits them.
Zareena Gaibee will be on the ground in Paris for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics events, sharing her take on the prestigious sporting event, giving exclusive insights into life at the games, and hopefully meeting many of the South Africans in Paris who are competing and supporting. She will be reporting her findings for Good Things Guy, giving readers a glimpse of what flying the flag in Paris is all about.
You can follow her series via Good Things Guy here.
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Sources: Zareena Gaibee
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