Antalya: The world's No. 1 seed in the men's quad category in tennis, Niels Vink from the Netherlands, praised an international tournament in Turkiye's Antalya for having nice weather and top-quality hotels, food, and courts. The gold medalist at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games has been competing in the BNP Paribas Wheelchair World Team Championship European Qualifiers in Antalya.
According to Anadolu Agency, Vink expressed his pleasure participating in the tournament. "I love the weather, hotels, and food in Antalya. I always go in the summer on holiday to Turkiye. Most of the time to Side, so I love it here," he said. "It is a very good tournament in Antalya. It is great that there are so many courts at the Alibey Club and people are doing their best to make a good tournament."
Vink also shared his optimism about the potential of Turkish Paralympic tennis players, suggesting they could win gold at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. He mentioned Ahmet Kaplan from Turkiye, who is currently ranked No. 4 in the world but has defeated the top three players. "Yes, I think it is possible," he stated.
He advised Turkish players to "just enjoy and work as hard as you can" on their path to success. Reflecting on his own achievements, Vink shared insights into how he won gold medals in the quad singles and doubles in Paris. He attributed his success to hard work and the dream becoming a reality.
Vink emphasized the importance of enjoyment and dedication as key factors in his achievements at the Paris Games. Looking ahead to the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles, he expressed confidence in his ability to win gold again, provided he becomes the best version of himself.
The BNP Paribas Wheelchair World Team Cup European Qualifiers began on Wednesday. The tournament, which will continue until March 23 at the Alibey Club in Manavgat, features 60 athletes from 15 countries competing to advance their teams to the World Cup Finals. The qualifying stages are being organized across Asia, America, Africa, and Europe ahead of the Finals. Turkiye is set to host the World Cup Finals in Manavgat from May 6-11.