Team South Africa claim bronze at European Qualifiers

South African pair Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole claimed a dominant 2-0 victory over French duo Huguenin Thomas and Michel Jutin to finish third in the tournament.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Selepe says the federation welcomes the third-place finish, especially considering the challenges Team South Africa faced in the build-up to the tournament.

“The result is something else. We weigh the results based on the readiness of the team and the wellbeing of the team. We welcome the result despite the fact that we wanted more, but we are aware of the challenges our players faced coming into this tournament. I must say that we are proud of them,” said Selepe.

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Sithole opened in strong fashion with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Thomas, before Ramphadi sealed the tie with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win over Jutin to secure the combined 2-0 result and the third place finish. 

“Yes, we didn’t qualify for the main event, but we are happy with where we are. Now we go back to the drawing board and make sure that our team is ready for the Paralympics. We want the players to continue improving their individual rankings so that they are ready for 2028,” added Selepe.

The seasoned tennis administrator further explained what makes the South African pair special, saying they have already proven themselves among the best in the world after winning major Grand Slam titles in the past.

“The two players are very special. Together they have won on the biggest stages. Lucas won the Australian Open singles title, Donald won the Roland Garros doubles title, and both players claimed bronze at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. That proves how special they are and how gifted South Africa is,” he expressed.