Wheelchair world tennis champion

Westdene’s Lucas Sithole won the British Wheelchair Tennis Open in the United Kingdom on 20 July.

The 26-year-old became the first African player to win a Super Series title when he defeated world number one, David Wagner 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 to win in the men’s Quad division. Sithole had only beaten Wagner once in the Airports Company South Africa SA Open in April.

The left-handed triple amputee qualified for the London 2012 Paralympics and won the Disabled Sportsman of the Year for Gauteng in 2010 and 2012. Sithole also won the National Disabled Sportsman of the Year in 2010 and is currently SA’s number one-ranked player in the Quad division and number three on the world rankings.

“Tennis is fun and I really love it, it’s not just a physical but also mental sport and my achievement is very good for the future of SA sport. I have always been a sportsman and loved sport from a very young age, sport is part of me,” said Sithole who was introduced to tennis in 2006.

Prior to his accident, he played soccer and was a sprinter and after the accident at the age of 12 years, he played wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby. His goals are to become number one in the World Wheelchair Tennis rankings and to win a medal at the 2016 Paralympics.

Spokesperson for Airports Company South Africa, Unathi Batyashe-Fillis said as the sponsors, they were proud to be associated with Wheelchair Tennis South Africa. “We remain committed to enabling the sport for athletes to continue realising their dreams and making our country proud.”