There was a report in today’s world media that some of the medals, particularly the bronze ones, dished out at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games were beginning to rust. The varnish has been falling off a good few apparently and some athletes were sending them back to be replaced.

Israel’s Guy Sasson, who played with and against Niels Vink in the quads doubles and singles at the Australian Open today, won a bronze in Paris a few months ago. 

He is onboard with the story.

“Mine is slightly rusty on one of the edges but it’s not big," he said. "But it’s inside the box and when I go home now I want to check it.”

Vink's seem fine. “Is it only the bronze ones?," he asks.

Vink won gold in Paris last year and this level of medal is yet to be reported as tarnished. 

He asks the question with a smile. He and Sasson are a new - and surprise - doubles partnership but clearly get on very well together despite the age gap, Sasson at 44 is twice as old as Vink.

“I am not going to tell the full story,” says Vink mischievously about how they got together.

"I played five years with Sam (Schroder), we won nine Grand Slams, two (Paralympic) golds and I was curious if I could do it with someone else," he says. "So I spoke with Sam about it and he thought the same. I am very good with Sam and with LA (Paralympics 2028) we will play again together to defend our medals.

“As soon as Guy came on the Tour we practised and played together and it’s a good choice,” said the serial winner (14 Slams and three Paralympics gold medals.)

“Me? I am very happy,” said Sasson, understandably. “It’s a good choice, I was aways trying to beat him all the time.”

Vink and Sasson will play Schroder and Andy Lapthorne in the quad doubles final. Lapthorne has previously partnered Sasson and it will be some reunion.

Earlier, Vink and Sasson had played out a cracking first set in the quad singles semi-final, won 8-6 by Vink in a tie-break, before he galloped away with the second set to reach the final where he will play, of course, Schroder.

How do two players fight out a semi-final before tagging up little more than an hour later to play in the doubles? 

Sasson is phlegmatic.

“Usually I lose (to Vink) but there is a small pool (of players) so we know that it’s going to happen," he said. "Once the match is over I took a shower, had my 15 minutes to think about what happened, ate something, freshened up and we are ready to go. 

“We communicate very well and the energy between us is very good.”

Watching Vink serve is, by turn, intriguing and informative. 

Sasson serves slower and from much further back, about four feet behind the baseline. Vink, though, has his right wheel nudging the baseline and twists and jerks his chair and body by almost 90 degrees when he throws the ball up to hit it and propel himself forward. The service speed today came out at about 126 kmph for Vink.

“When you see an able-bodied person serve he jumps,” said Vink. “My chair is made so when my right wheel goes up so it gives me the power.

“We have different disabilities (Vink and Sasson) so some of the things I can do, he can’t. Because I don’t have legs, when I am on my chair a little movement makes my chair go like crazy.”

“It’s harder for him to stabilise,” said Sasson.

They are already some pair.

A full list of results from the 2025 Australian Open Wheelchair Championships is available here