SA wheelchair tennis stars Donald Ramphadi and Kgothatso Montjane were crowned Grand Slam champions in their respective divisions at the French Open at Roland Garros on Saturday.
Ramphadi claimed the quads title and Montjane clinched victory in the women’s doubles category.
Ranked No 4 globally, Ramphadi displayed immense resilience alongside his doubles partner, Andy Lapthorne, from Britain.
Overcoming a set deficit, they delivered a thrilling performance, defeating the second-seeded pair of Heath Davidson from Australia and Canada’s Robert Shaw with a 1-6 6-2 10-3 victory to secure the quads doubles title.
An elated Ramphadi said: “It was truly nerve-racking when we began, especially after losing the first set 6-1.
“However, with an experienced partner like Lapthorne, who is a natural leader, we regained our composure.
“We remembered our strategy from our match against the top-seeded team and implemented it throughout the second and final sets.”
The victory not only marked a milestone for Ramphadi, but also coincided with his 30th birthday, making it an unforgettable day.
“It’s a day I’ll never forget. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but people are sending in messages, which shows the support, and that people are watching.”
Ramphadi added his name to the history books, becoming the first male South African, both able-bodied and wheelchair, to win a French Open title since Johan Kriek in 1981.
In another monumental achievement Montjane, the country’s leading women’s player, joined Ramphadi on the prestigious Roland Garros podium.
Montjane, who had previously reached six doubles finals at Grand Slam tournaments between 2019 and 2022, including Roland Garros, the Australian Open, the US Open, and Wimbledon, finally secured her well-deserved Grand Slam champion title.
She and Yui Kamiji from Japan showcased their prowess by clinching an impressive 6-2 6-3 victory over Diede de Groot and Maria Moreno to claim the women’s doubles trophy.
“It is such a great feeling and moment for me,” she said. “I am really happy that I managed to win my first Grand Slam, even though it is doubles. But it’s a moment worth living for.”
Tennis SA
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