Tuesday, 24 November 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa. – South African no.1 and world no.3 wheelchair tennis quad ace Lucas Sithole was for a third time named Sportsman of the year with a disability at the SA Sport Awards on Sunday night at Sand du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein.
Sithole was first bestowed the honour in 2012 and 2013 for the same category following his US Open Grand slam title.
The British Open champion was thrilled by the award “I am very excited for once again being recognized and I will continue working hard”, commented Sithole.
Sithole was also nominated for the People’s Choice of the Year category, where he faced stiff competition from AB de Villiers, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Chad le Clos and was beaten by Track star Wayde van Niekerk.
Just a day before the awards Sithole clinched his first Nottingham Indoor quad singles title, an ITF level 1 event part of the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour in the Great Britain. It was Sithole’s second victory in Nottingham after he clinched the British Open in July.
In a rematch of the British Open quad singles final, world No.3 Sithole came from 5-3 down to snatch the opening set against world No. 4 ranked Brit Andy Lapthorne and got the better of a thrilling finale to close out a 7-5 3-6 7-5 victory and make it two titles from two visits to Nottingham this year.
“I’m very pleased to win my first Nottingham Indoor title, Nottingham has been very good to me this year and I’m hoping I can make it three titles in Britain this season when we go to the NEC Masters in London”, said Sithole.
