Donald Ramphadi falls short in first round at 2025 Barcelona Open

This was after he endured a 6-3, 6-1 defeat against Brazil’s Leandro Pena at the Real Club de Tenis on Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Ramphadi adds that he is disappointed that Pena remained consistent throughout the match, which made it difficult for him to catch up.

"I definitely did have a good start to this match, I also thought that I would be able to quickly adjust to the clay, but unfortunately, it didn't happen like that. Pushing and playing on clay is much different to what you can experience on a hard court," explained Ramphadi. 

READ: Novak Djokovic snaps losing streak with first clay win of 2025 in Geneva

Ramphadi further admits that he struggles a lot against Pena in singles, considering his outstanding application on clay court over the years.

"Pena is one of the players that I struggle to play against. He has this strange forehand, and his backhand is powerful. He's very unpredictable, and I was unable to execute my plan," said the dejected wheelchair tennis star.

The 32-year-old adds that the aim is to continue to use the Barcelona Open as preparation for the Roland Garros, and to make sure that by the time he gets to France, he’s comfortable to apply himself on clay.

Ramphandi will now shift focus to the second round in the doubles, where he will pair up with Pena.