Future is now as Vink adds Paralympic singles bronze to doubles gold
As he took to the Centre Court at Ariake Tennis Park ahead of his quad singles bronze medal clash with Koji Sugeno, the stadium announcer introduced Niels Vink as ‘the future of wheelchair tennis’. The Dutch 18-year-old made good on that promise to claim his second Tokyo 2020 Paralympic medal with a 6-1 6-4 victory.
“That meant a lot to me, I’m very proud of that,” said Vink, who arrived at his first Paralympics as the world No. 5, hoping to reach the podium at the end of the tournament by playing his explosive brand of topspin-laden tennis.
He will leave Tokyo with two medals: gold in doubles won with Schroder, a first Dutch Paralympic gold in the quad division; and now a singles bronze, some consolation following his heart-breaking semi-final defeat by defending champion Alcott, who later described the match as ‘the best contest I’ve been a part of’, and told Vink he had a singles gold waiting for him in the future.
“So close,” Vink said with a smile. “I was a little bit disappointed, but I’m very proud that I played so good in that match. The next day I had a doubles final playing for gold, so I had a lot of motivation. After the match I was disappointed, but one hour later I was ready for the doubles final, ready to fight for gold.”
Two days on, Vink produced a front-runner’s performance to surge through the opening set and hang in there in the second as Japan’s Sugeno, 22 years his senior, began to figure out how to hurt the young Dutchman in the rallies.
“It was simply so tough to get a medal,” said Sugeno, who lost to Schroder in the semi-finals. “The two players from Netherlands are improving so fast, and playing them made me realise that they are both growing even more. On the other hand, I was able to win against David Wagner at such a big event, which I couldn’t do before.
“Even though I lost against the young players, tactically I was able to understand what they are doing, so if I can make adjustments then winning is not impossible – I will work on that.”
Sugeno will also leave his first Paralympics with a medal, having won bronze alongside Mitsuteru Moroishi in a marathon clash against Great Britain’s Andy Lapthorne and Antony Cotterill. The three-hour match ended after 02:00 on Thursday morning, prompting organisers to push back the quad medal matches by at least a day.
Nevertheless, the 40-year-old was playing through the pain barrier by the end, leaving the court with ice packs on his right shoulder and left elbow. “I wish we had some more time,” he said.
For Vink, however, there was satisfaction in emerging with a straight-sets win, the typically mild-mannered teenager encountered off-court contrasting starkly with the snarling competitor on court – a temperament that he has honed to get the best out of himself.
“I always had it, but I’ve learned to calm down a little bit,” he said. “A few years ago, I’d get angry and be screaming, acting crazy on court. And I’m still screaming, but only positive stuff to pump myself up, not at my opponent or the spectators. A few years ago, that was the problem – I was reacting to other people, other things.”
Now, they are reacting to him. If this is the future, wheelchair tennis is in good hands.