'If you fight, you might lose; but if you don’t fight, you’re already beaten'

Anthony Fernandes, who moved to Malaga two years ago, is the only table tennis player in the world to compete using his mouth due to congenital multiple arthrogryposis. He dreams of reaching the Paralympic Games while also pursuing careers as an actor and DJ

Jorge Garrido

Malaga

Anthony Fernandes' life could easily be made into a film, and that's no exaggeration. For now, though, he's happy appearing in films while ... astonishing people with a skill unlike anyone else's: playing table tennis at a high level using only his mouth.

Born in Lanzarote in 2002, Fernandes has congenital multiple arthrogryposis, a group of conditions that cause joint stiffness and severely limit muscle development. He has undergone around 20 operations, mainly on his legs and shoulders, to improve his independence.

Two years ago, he moved to Malaga to complete a degree in Marketing and Advertising while taking his table tennis career to the next level in pursuit of his ultimate goal of competing at the Paralympic Games.

Supported by his mother, Zoila, and younger brother, Neymar, his story and outlook on life leave a lasting impression on everyone who meets him. Fernandes, meanwhile, quite literally grits his teeth as he lives by a simple motto: "If you fight, you might lose. But if you don't fight, you're already beaten."

"I started playing when I was 10 in the school playground, and I've kept going ever since," he says. "It wasn't continuous at first because I didn't see it as something professional. But little by little, I got more involved in competitions.

"I've tried loads of sports. I've done adaptive surfing, scuba diving, marathons where people pushed me in a wheelchair and shorter races that I ran myself. There's never been a sport I've wanted to try but couldn't."

Continuous improvement

However, it was table tennis that grabbed him from the very beginning, mainly because it allowed him to compete on equal terms with the other children at school.

"I kept improving and looked for more places to train," he says. "I still don't think I've reached my full potential. I had to move to mainland Spain, and Malaga was the right place to raise my level."

Fernandes trains at the Club Málaga Tenis de Mesa (Malaga table tennis club) in the Ciudad Jardín district of the city and believes his game has improved significantly since arriving. He has also been invited to train with Spain's Paralympic squad at the High Performance Centre (Centro de Alto Rendimiento, CAR) in Murcia.

"But I know there's still a long way to go before I reach the Paralympic Games," he says.

He also speaks warmly about his friends back in Lanzarote: "They're like family to me as well. There are six or seven of us and we've been inseparable since school.

"They've always treated me exactly the same as everyone else. They've knocked me over when they've had to, we insult each other every day," he laughs. "But if we ever need to go somewhere that isn't accessible, they're always the first to say, 'Don't worry, we'll carry you wherever you need to go.'"

Beyond sport

Fernandes recently appeared in the film La familia Benetón +2, an opportunity he believes was earned rather than handed to him.

"I won't say it was luck, because you have to work for your luck and be ready when the opportunity comes. Table tennis played a big part as well.

"Five or six years ago, Langui had a TV programme called 'Donde viajan dos'. One of the scriptwriters, Curro Velázquez, also worked on the film. He told me that when he wrote my character, Lalo, he knew I had to play the role. The production company contacted me through Instagram." His account, @zohanamc, has more than 30,000 followers. "It was an incredible experience."

Alongside being an athlete, student and actor, Fernandes is also a music producer and DJ, again using his mouth to perform. He says his musical background comes from growing up around dance, as his mother was a professional dancer.

"I'd love to leave a lasting mark," he says. "I genuinely think I came into this world to do something extraordinary. I'd love to reach the point where, if people talk about table tennis, they have to mention me because of what I've achieved."

"I'd love to leave a lasting mark; I genuinely think I came into this world to do something extraordinary."

"Being able to make a living from table tennis would be incredible. It's not a sport that pays a lot, but if social media and content creation help me attract sponsors to cover the cost of travelling and competing, that would make a huge difference."

Fernandes has already launched a sponsorship campaign as he pursues his Paralympic dream, with Red Bull one of the companies he hopes to attract.