Paris Paralympics 2024: Andy Lapthorne & Greg Slade claim silver medal in quad wheelchair doubles

ParalympicsGB wheelchair tennis players Andy Lapthorne and Greg Slade won the second-place silver medal in the quad wheelchair doubles event at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. They were defeated in the final match by the top-seeded team, who were also the reigning champions.

The top-ranked players Niels Vink and Sam Schroder won the gold medal by beating the British opponents 6-1, 6-1 in a match that drew a large audience at Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Lapthorne departs from Paris with a total of four medals, consisting of three silver medals from 2012, 2016, and 2024, along with one bronze from 2016. On the other hand, Slade, who is 22 years old, achieved his first Paralympic medal during his debut at the event.

ParalympicsGB has earned their 17th medal in wheelchair tennis, with Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid still in the running in this year's Games. They are competing in both the men’s singles and doubles events.

Lapthorne was participating in his third Paralympics championship match, making him one of only four British athletes to achieve this feat, joining Hewett, Reid, and Peter Norfolk.

Following the game, the 33-year-old stated that he plans to keep playing, but this will be his final Paralympic Games.

"That was the final game of my Paralympic career," he stated. "It has been quite a journey and I have mixed feelings about it. The energy and support from the fans have been amazing, and I am prepared to move on. You always think you can compete indefinitely, but when you come to the realization that it's time to retire, it's a strange feeling."

The past day has been filled with strong emotions, achieving four Paralympic medals in wheelchair tennis is no simple feat.

I have decided to move on from this profession and I will be making my exit on the main court of a Grand Slam tournament, with a large audience watching.

I am not quitting the sport completely; I will continue playing until my body signals me to stop, but I am prepared to start a new chapter off the court. Other aspects of life need to come first, rather than focusing solely on tennis matches as I have been since I was 16 years old.

I promised myself I wouldn't put on this shirt unless I could achieve a gold medal, and I don't believe I can accomplish that in Los Angeles.

"It's incredible to see a young player like Slade step up and perform the way he has. Playing in the Paralympics alongside a younger partner has been a fantastic experience for me. He's a wonderful person and he absolutely earned that medal."

For Slade, this is just the start after demonstrating his skills in the final and a semi-final victory over Brazil's Leandro Pena and Ymanitu Silva.

"After the game, we are feeling a mixture of emotions. We were aware that it would be a challenging match against the top two players globally," he expressed. "I am let down that we couldn't present a stronger performance in the game."

"It's my first time participating in the Games, and winning a medal is unbelievable. I think I need some time to really process and think about it."

For the past year, we have been aware that this was a significant chance to win a medal. It has been a challenging and stressful time, with moments of doubt and uncertainty. There were instances when the pressure became overwhelming, and I questioned my future in this sport.

"I worked really hard to achieve my dreams of becoming a first-time Paralympian and winning a medal. It's all paid off and I am grateful to be sitting here with this accomplishment."

The beginning of the match was challenging for the British players as they fell behind 3-0 quickly. They eventually lost a long service game when Slade made a mistake, even though the young Brit played an impressive drop shot during the match.

The British team earned a point in the fifth game after taking advantage of some important mistakes made by Schroder. This gave them a boost, but the Dutch team didn't waste any time and won the set with a second serve ace from Vink.

Lapthorne and Slade were close to taking the lead in the second set at 1-1, but Vink and Schroder had different plans. Despite the Brits fighting hard in the rallies, the Dutch team played exceptionally well, winning 17 of the last 22 points and successfully defending their gold medal.