Winning the Wimbledon title is an emotional moment for any tennis player. Still, for Niels Vink, the Quad Wheelchairs single title this year had an added significance to the Dutch player. Vink was playing at the SW19 for the first time since his former coach, Hans-Jürgen Striek, passed away last year, with the top seed paying tribute to his coach and friend.

“It means a lot… what you said, four years in a row? And also today, you saw me kissing the ground and then pointing to the sky. Because today I don’t know what it was, but I felt something helping me”, said Vink in his on-court interview. “And I think everybody knows my coach passed away last year. And the guy over there helped me a lot; he’s my coach right now. But the empty seat next to him was not empty today, and I really felt that today”. Vink’s coach, Striek, had been suffering from a brain tumor since 2024, a battle that claimed his life in September.

The bond between Vink and Striek was more than a professional coaching relationship; it was more like a familial bond, as the two were great friends off the court as well. Even after the initial diagnosis in 2024, Striek did not let go of his coaching duties, as he was at the helm when Vink won Wimbledon that year and two gold medals at the Paris Olympics, despite undergoing rigorous treatment. However, the treatment options thinned out, as Striek was last seen in Vink’s box at the US Open last year, after which he passed away.

This is not the first time Vink has paid tribute to his longtime coach and friend. He gave Striek flowers after Striek received the Dutch Parathlete of the Year prize last year. Since Striek’s passing, Vink has been working with his current coach, Alex Gaspa, who was in the box when Vink had his winning moment in the Wimbledon final against compatriot Sam Schroder, his fourth consecutive title at the grass-court Major.

Under Striek, Vink had won almost every title in the sport, with the notable exception of the Australian Open singles title, which the Dutch player achieved this year.

Niels Vink Created History in Australia This Year

Coming into this year, the Australian Open singles title was the only notable trophy missing from Vink’s cabinet as he had won the other three Majors in both singles and doubles and already secured two doubles titles in Melbourne. With Striek’s passing, winning the Melbourne title was the motivation for the Dutch player to return to the Tour.

Fueled by his tennis ability and emotion, Vink completed the Golden Career Slam by winning the Australian Open this year with a win over Sam Schroder in the final. Vink was not done, as he also clinched the doubles title down under alongside Guy Sasson. The Dutch did not slow down on the clay at the French Open, as he had clinched both the singles and doubles titles on the red clay as well.

Wimbledon became the third Major of the year where Vink had double delight, clinching the doubles title with Sasson. If the Dutch player is able to replicate his heroics at the US Open, he will have the distinction of completing the Calendar Slam in both singles and doubles. Being the defending champion in both singles and doubles in New York, Vink will be the favorite to pull the feat off and create history.