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🇫🇷 France /Sports

Roland-Garros: 'Without my disability, I couldn't do all this,' says wheelchair tennis champion Melvil Vedrenne-Cloquet

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Melvil Vedrenne-Cloquet, a French junior wheelchair tennis champion with spinal muscular atrophy, is participating in Roland-Garros as a "Ballos" (ball person).
  • He uses his Instagram account to highlight para-athletes through visual storytelling with his "On Wheels Movement" project.
  • Vedrenne-Cloquet aims to change perceptions of parasport, showcasing incredible athletes rather than viewing it as charity.

At just 13 years old, Melvil Vedrenne-Cloquet is more than just a participant at Roland-Garros; he's a junior wheelchair tennis champion and an advocate for parasport. Diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at age two, Melvil navigates the courts as a "Ballos," assisting with wheelchair tennis matches, while also championing para-athletes through his "On Wheels Movement" project.

It's great, I dream of being here, I have to make the most of it.

— Melvil Vedrenne-CloquetExpressing his excitement about participating at Roland-Garros.

Melvil, who is of French, British, and Thai descent, was diagnosed with SMA, a rare neuromuscular disease affecting muscle strength. Despite challenges like difficulty running or jumping, he can walk slowly and has achieved significant success in wheelchair tennis. He was crowned the French junior champion last year and is currently ranked third in France and 49th globally in his category. He returns to Roland-Garros later this month to defend his title.

Beyond his athletic achievements, Melvil is dedicated to reshaping the narrative around parasport. Through his Instagram project, "On Wheels Movement," he uses visual storytelling to showcase the skills and achievements of para-athletes. He emphasizes that parasport features incredible athletes, akin to those in mainstream sports, and should not be perceived merely as charity.

Parasport is often seen as charity. But there are incredible athletes like in tennis and I want people to see that.

— Melvil Vedrenne-CloquetExplaining the goal of his 'On Wheels Movement' project.

His project features motivational posts and video clips of both para-athletes and mainstream sports stars, drawing inspiration from figures like Kobe Bryant and Roger Federer. Melvil particularly admires Tokito Oda, a seven-time Grand Slam winner, including three Roland-Garros titles. He noted Novak Djokovic's attempt at wheelchair tennis during the Australian Open in 2017, observing how challenging it was for the top player, highlighting the skill involved in the sport.

When he sits in the chair, it's hard for him to play.

— Melvil Vedrenne-CloquetCommenting on Novak Djokovic's experience trying wheelchair tennis.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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