Fernandez wins South America's first wheelchair tennis medal at Paras
Gustavo Fernandez is the latest player at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event to secure a slice of history for thier nation after defeating Spain’s Martin de la Puente in the men’s singles bronze medal match.
Fernandez defeated De la Puente, who won men’s doubles bronze alongside Dani Caverzaschi on Friday, 6-1 6-2 to claim his first Paralympic medal having lost in the quarter-finals on each of his previous three Paralympic appearances.
The 30-year-old is the first Argentinian player – and indeed South American – to win a Paralympic medal in any wheelchair tennis category, while it adds to the Paris 2024 narrative which has seen numerous trailblazing performances and nation firsts.
Fernandez’s victory means eight different nations have won a Paralympic medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event, with Argentina the fourth nation to win their first ever Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis medal here in Paris. Both are joint records.
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“Winning bronze is amazing,” said Fernandez, who has been in a wheelchair since he was just over a year old after falling out of a chair and suffering a spinal cord injury.
“If it didn’t happen, it was going to be all right too, because I’ve done a great job this week. I’ve enjoyed myself and enjoyed being here. But to go home with a medal is huge. For me, it’s an amazing thing.
“I wanted to do this not only for me, but for the country and for the people who supported me from the beginning – my family. It’s been a rough year, but to close it out like this, it’s unbelievable. I’m overwhelmed with emotions and I’m trying to figure out how to manage them.
“I played amazingly today, but I still think I can improve and do better. To have that mindset and to look to the future is important. I want to be in a Paralympic final and in order to do that I have to play as the likes of Alfie (Hewett) and Tokito (Oda) have done.”
When Fernandez makes reference to a “rough year”, he opted to miss the Australian swing in order to prioritise his mental and physical wellbeing. Upon his return to the court, he made reference to ‘the darkest moments of anxiety’.
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“In December and January, we didn't know what was going to happen,” added world No. 4 Fernandez, whose father and older brother both played professional basketball. “With mental issues, you never know how much time you will need to get better.
“What I think I did well was have patience and let myself have the time that I needed, and not put myself into deadlines. Of course, I'm really thankful to my family and the people that were with me during the whole process, because it was a very tough process.
“But all that toughness, that’s what makes it so special. Right now, I'm very, very happy. The process in the last two years has been very challenging, but also nurturing. I've grown personally and professionally.”
Paralympic bronze boosts an already healthy trophy collection which includes eight Grand Slam titles across singles and doubles, including three here at Roland Garros. For Fernandez – and possibly for wider reasons – nothing beats the feeling of Paralympic success, however.
“This means more, it’s bigger,” he said. “It’s because of the process I’ve been through the last two years in order to get there. It’s been the greatest process of my life.
“To be able to develop personally and professionally is what I’m proud of the most, and when you get the reward it’s even better. That’s why I say I’ve enjoyed myself very much this week.”