Great Britain’s wheelchair tennis athletes – competing as the Lexus GB World Team Cup Team – have delivered a sensational performance at the 2025 BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Antalya, Turkey, securing three medals across the junior, men’s, and quad categories. Their success places Britain among the elite in global wheelchair tennis, in what was one of the most decorated campaigns in the event’s 40-year history.
About the BNP Paribas World Team Cup
The BNP Paribas World Team Cup, often dubbed the “Davis Cup” or “Billie Jean King Cup” of wheelchair tennis, is the premier international team competition for the sport. The event brings together top nations across four categories: men’s, women’s, quad, and junior.
Teams compete in a mix of singles and doubles matches throughout a knockout and group stage format. For countries like Great Britain, the tournament is both a development platform for rising stars and a stage for elite competition, with the LTA playing a pivotal role in team selection, coaching, and athlete support.
Junior wheelchair tennis team clinches world title
Leading the medal charge was the junior team, who claimed the World Team Cup title after a commanding 2-0 victory over defending champions USA in Saturday’s final.
Rising stars Ruben Harris and Lucas de Gouveia dazzled on the courts in Antalya, each winning their singles matches in straight sets. Lucas dispatched Sabina Czauz 6-0, 6-3, while Ruben overcame Maximus Wong 7-6, 6-3.
This triumph marked the second junior title in three years for Team GB, with Ruben the common thread in both gold-winning campaigns.
The victory didn’t come easy, though—the young Brits battled through close encounters earlier in the week, defeating top-seeded Belgium and other strong contenders like Australia, Brazil, and Germany, often relying on critical doubles match victories to secure their advancement.
Erik Koers, Head of the LTA’s Wheelchair Performance Pathway, praised the team’s efforts:
“To win the junior title twice in three years, with just Ruben Harris as the common factor, is a great achievement. It shows that our pathway is inspiring both current and future generations of wheelchair tennis players.”
Bronze for men’s and quad wheelchair tennis teams caps off a stellar week
While the junior team stole headlines on Saturday (10th May), Sunday (11th May) brought more good news for the British camp. The men’s and quad teams each secured bronze medals, bringing the nation’s total to three podium finishes for the tournament.
The men’s team, featuring Ben Bartram, Dahnon Ward, and newcomer Andrew Penney, powered past third-seeded France with a 2-0 win.
Dahnon bested Geoffrey Jasiak in straight sets, and Ben followed suit by taking down Gaetan Menguy. Their performance improved on a pre-tournament number five seeding and proved their resilience after missing out on gold in 2024.
Ben, who now owns two golds and one bronze from recent World Team Cups, expressed his pride:
“This is a very deserved bronze. The whole team have worked incredibly hard and it’s paid off.”
Meanwhile, in the quad division, a gritty team effort helped GB edge past Australia in a decisive doubles match. Greg Slade gave Britain the early lead before Andy Lapthorne narrowly lost his singles match. But the pair regrouped and, along with Gary Cox, clinched the bronze with a solid 6-4, 6-1 win in the doubles.
Greg’s medal is his first at a World Team Cup, an emotional high after a challenging semi-final:
“We really collected ourselves after the disappointment of yesterday and came back stronger today.”
As wheelchair tennis continues to grow in profile and participation, the Lexus GB World Team Cup squad’s achievements in 2025 offer a compelling reminder of the sport’s inclusivity, competitive spirit, and depth of British talent.
You can find out more about the Team GB wheelchair tennis squad by visiting the LTA website and following LTA on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.