[imagesource:twitter/rolandgarros]

South Africans have another sporting achievement to celebrate this week as star wheelchair tennis players Donald Ramphadi and Kgothatso ‘KG’ Montjane were both crowned Grand Slam champions at the French Open on Saturday.

Ramphadi celebrated his 30th birthday on the day and was also part of South Africa’s quad wheelchair tennis team that won a silver medal at the 2022 BNP Paribas World Team Cup.

This is the first time since 1972 that a South African won at the French Open.

Ramphadi and his British partner Andy Lapthorne won the title in the men’s quad doubles final, and South Africa’s leading female wheelchair player Montjane, lifted her maiden Major title.

🏆🇿🇦 Lift it high 🇬🇧🏆

Lapthorne/Ramphadi go down to the wire to defeat Davidson/Shaw and claim the Quad Wheelchair Doubles title 1-6, 6-2, 10-3.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/aVRxalGNUL

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 10, 2023

Montjane, playing with Yui Kamijin of Japan, defeated the unseeded Diede de Groot (The Netherlands) and Maria Florencia Moreno (Argentina) 6-3, 6-2. It was the fifth time lucky for No 8 ranked Montjane, who by this time had four runners-up Grand Slam doubles medals.

“It is such a great feeling and moment for me,” said Montjane. “I am really happy that I managed to win my first Grand Slam, even though it’s doubles.”

South Africa’s Kgothatso Montjane and Yui Kamiji are the #RolandGarros Women’s Wheelchair Doubles champions 👏🏆🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/3eLshFRhoR

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 10, 2023

[source:iol]