Photo: © Mathilde Dusol
He did it! Winning in Rotterdam! Twice even, at the European Para Championships (EPC)! On Saturday Niels won the doubles final with Sam Schröder and on Sunday he won the singles final from Sam.
It was for the first time in his career that Niels won the EPC. The main prize did not lie: the winner of the singles qualifies directly for the Paralympics in Paris in 2024. Not to mention the medal and mascot.
Special tennis court
The tournament went smoothly. Niels and Sam reached the finals relatively easily against two Turkish opponents. They won on Saturday.
A day later, Niels and Sam met. They are usually very evenly matched. This time Niels won. Especially for the final a tennis court had been built on the Schouwburgplein in Rotterdam. That only made the experience more special.
On camera
It was special to be able to compete in my home country. Usually, most of my family, friends, and acquaintances follow my performances on a small screen. Now they could be there in person. It was really nice to see all those familiar faces in the stands!
Before his victory, Niels also had the chance to share his story on camera with the NOS. That’s not something he gets to do every day. You can watch the clip here:
20-year-old Niels Vink won Roland Garros and Wimbledon and played the final of the European Para Championships on Sunday morning. He has one big goal in mind: the 2024🌟 Paris Paralympic Games pic.twitter.com/lP1e6ZMXa3
- NOS Sport (@NOSsport) August 13, 2023
On to the next
There is not much time to enjoy extended afterglow. On September 5 the US Open starts in New York. Niels will tell you what he plans to do there: win!