From heart attack to hope: Gerard eyes Paris glory after Tokyo drama
As some players were enjoying career-defining moments at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event, Belgium’s Joachim Gerard was in a hospital bed recovering from a heart attack.
Gerard suffered a harrowing cardiac arrest at the Paralympic Village in the days after his third-round loss to Spain’s Dani Caverzaschi – an incident which united the tennis community and placed everything into perspective.
Thankfully Gerard was to make a full recovery and was back on court just over a year later doing what he does best, while later this year he is set to contest his fifth Paralympic Games.
The Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event at Paris 2024 runs from 30 August-7 September with gold the ultimate ambition for those in the men’s, women’s and quad draws. Gerard is also keen to exorcise the ghost of Tokyo.
“I suffered a heart attack two days after losing in the third round,” said former world No. 1 Gerard. “When I look back now I think I am one of the luckiest guys, but perhaps Paris will be a little bit of revenge.
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“I do not have good memories from Tokyo. I lost and it was Covid, so it was not the same Paralympics. In many ways, I just want to enjoy Paris.”
Once health issues come into play everything else fades into insignificance but, focusing purely upon his on-court showing, Tokyo 2020 was such an anti-climax.
Gerard was enjoying a stellar season back in 2021 having conquered all before him at the Australian Open and Wimbledon to claim his maiden Grand Slam singles titles. He had previous won four Grand Slam doubles titles but never a singles.
“I was going for gold, but I didn’t play very well,” added Gerard. “I lost in the third round against a player who deserved to win because he played better than me, but normally a player I should beat.
“I was really sad about that because it had been a good year for me, winning two Grand Slams. Like I say, I was going for the gold, but it was not to be.”
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It is important to say, however, that the Paralympics have not been all doom and gloom for Gerard and he has appeared at four Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Events having made his debut at the Beijing Games of 2008.
The 35-year-old is also the proud holder of a bronze medal won in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 after dispatching Stephane Houdet of France – a silver medallist at London four years earlier – to finish third and claim Belgium's first Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis medal.
“It is always nice to tell yourself that you deserve to be among the elite of your sport and your country,” said Gerard. “That means a lot and we are all people who have dreams, so we will give everything to reach them.
“I am looking forward to doing my best. This will be my fifth Paralympic Games and I just want to do better than last time. The gold is the biggest goal, for sure, but if I do not win gold, I will not be unhappy. I just want to give my best.”