It was on that field where I played so much that, this Wednesday, I picked up a racket again. Without waiting for it – and fearing that tennis was already a strange sport for me – I exchanged some balls with Fábio. And, thus, I met an example of passion and resilience.
In this case, the writing in the first person, by the journalist, is nothing more than a motto to make known the true hero of the story, which is Fábio Reis. He, yes, is the main character.
Born 31 years ago, in Santa Maria da Feira, he has been in the Algarve for just over a year. A tragic event changed his life.
«Hello, I'm Fábio, I'm married and I have two daughters. I suffered a serious accident at work in October 2014 in Switzerland. I was working in a cement factory in Neuchâtel, and I was treaded between a train and a wagon. They had to amputate my left leg right away. In one year, I was subjected to 15 operations».
Fábio's opening presentation is tough; it leaves us with a lump in our throat, such is the cruelty.
“I was in a big depression after having that accident,” he continues. But, as so often in life (and in sport), opportunities are born out of difficulties.
The physiotherapist who accompanied Fábio, still in Switzerland, threw him a challenge. «One day, he invited me to go with him to try out adapted tennis. I went and the passion started there. What had been a joke, became more serious», he says, with a smile on his face.
So, in September 2018, wheelchair tennis truly entered his life. «I started playing at that time and, in January of this year, I started tournaments. I've played three internationals, in Vilamoura, Setúbal and Porto», he says.
The results are in sight. Despite his (still) limited experience, Fábio Reis already has ranking international: is in 354th place, with 26 points, out of a total of 626 players.
It is at the Loulé Tennis Club that, every day, he trains for about an hour and a half with João Blaize (his coach), to continue progressing in this classification. Will power is not lacking.
«Tennis helped me a lot to overcome this less good phase», he says. This despite the fact that I had never even tried this sport before the accident. The focus was on football, where he even coached a youth team, but ended up falling in love with the racket world.
In the entire Algarve, Fábio Reis is the only adapted tennis player. Until now, all the costs involved have been borne by you and your family. «It has been difficult, there is no support, I have no sponsorship. Adapted sport is still unloved in Portugal», he accuses.
But Fábio's case has drawn attention. Joaquim Nunes, national coach of the Portuguese wheelchair tennis team, is already familiar with the history of this algarvian who ended up in the region due to the fact that his wife was born in São Brás de Alportel.
«I've already been with Mr. Joaquim Nunes and I have to say that he has helped me and taught me a lot. It has given me strength», he confesses, smiling.
Throughout his journey, Fábio Reis has had three great pillars. “My wife and my two daughters have been my strength… They never let me give up and they give me strength every day. I was in an induced coma for three days, I had those 15 operations. It was a really complicated phase», he recalls.
Nothing that intimidates the adapted tennis player who even has one certainty: «I want to be, in the short term, national champion. I do not want! I will be!"
In the long term, the goals are also outlined. “I would love to go to the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris,” he says.
Until then, there is a long way to go, but Fábio Reis promises never to give up.
To contact the athlete, you can follow his page here
Comments