Israel’s Paralympic Tennis Stars Shine at Paris Games

The 2024 US Open Tennis Championships will not feature men’s and women’s wheelchair or quads tennis events this year. This decision comes as the world’s top wheelchair tennis players are competing in Paris, France, for their countries at the Paralympics. The Paralympics’ schedule conflicts with the US Open, which occurs every four years. However, the juniors wheelchair tournament will still be held at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Queens, New York, as scheduled.

Israeli Players Shine at the Paralympics

Four Israeli athletes are competing in the wheelchair tennis events at the Paralympics, which began on Friday and will continue through September 7 at Stade Roland Garros, the site of the French Open. The Israeli team includes Adam Berdichevsky, Guy Sasson, Sergei Lysov, and Maayan Zikri. The players have made a strong start in the tournament.

Adam Berdichevsky’s Impressive Debut

Adam Berdichevsky, 40, who began playing wheelchair tennis after losing a leg in a 2007 boating accident, achieved his first Paralympic singles victory by defeating Luca Arca of Italy 6-2, 7-5. Berdichevsky, who carried the Israeli flag at the opening ceremony, described the experience as deeply meaningful. “I cannot say how much fun it was to represent my country like this. The win, it was the first time I played in front of a crowd like this, and it felt like I played at home – it was very special. I was very happy I could give some good times to people amid all the bad days,” he said.

Berdichevsky will face Chile’s Alexander Cataldo in the second round.

Sergei Lysov’s Paralympic Debut

Sergei Lysov, 20, who was diagnosed with Perthes’ disease at age 9 and moved to Israel from Russia in 2019, won his debut match against Brayan Tapia of Chile with a score of 7-5, 6-1. Lysov, who recently achieved a career-high ranking of No. 17, faced the tournament’s No. 1 seed, Alfie Hewett of Great Britain, in the second round but was defeated 6-0, 6-1.

Guy Sasson’s Success on the Clay Courts

Guy Sasson, the Roland Garros quad singles champion and the tournament’s No. 3 seed, advanced to the semifinals by first beating Francisco Cayulef of Chile 6-2, 6-3 and then Gregory Slade from Great Britain 6-1, 6-2. Sasson, reflecting on his performance, said, “Playing for the first time in a great stadium like that, with so many fans who came to watch us… it was a great atmosphere and a unique feeling. I had a lot of fun playing this match. Two months ago when I was here, and I was able to win Roland Garros, that gave me a lot of confidence. I love the clay here and the atmosphere. I knew that it would be a good step towards the Paralympics and here we are.”

Maayan Zikri’s First-Round Victory

Maayan Zikri, the sole female Israeli player, won her first-round match against Najwa Awane of Morocco 6-3, 6-2. Zikri’s journey into wheelchair tennis began after losing her right foot in an accident at age 10. She transitioned from wheelchair basketball to tennis, where she has since achieved significant success, including a No. 3 world ranking for juniors in 2021 and titles in Hungary, Switzerland, England, and Romania.

Historical Context and Paralympic Significance

This year marks the ninth Paralympic Games featuring wheelchair tennis, which was introduced as a full-medal event at Barcelona 1992, following its demonstration at Seoul 1988. The tournament includes 95 players from 28 nations, with matches played on outdoor clay courts at Stade Roland Garros. This is the second time the Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event has been held on clay courts, with Court Philippe Chatrier and Court Suzanne Lenglen featuring retractable roofs to handle weather conditions.

Support from the Israel ParaSport Center

Boaz Kramer, Executive Director of the Israel ParaSport Center, expressed pride in the four Israeli tennis players and boccia player Nadav Levi. “To have four wheelchair tennis players from the Israel ParaSport Center in the Paralympic Games is a dream come true,” said Kramer. “To see Adam, who survived October 7 with his family, as flag bearer in the opening ceremony was an emotional moment for all of us.”

Compensation for US Open Wheelchair Tennis Players

Despite not participating in this year’s US Open, some wheelchair tennis players will receive compensation. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has allocated $6,244,000 for grants, player per diems, and hotel payments to support players who would have been entered into the US Open. Total prize money for the main draw and qualifying rounds of the US Open is $75,000,000.