Image Credit : https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-817469
### Israel's Paralympic Tennis Stars Shine in Paris
The world’s top wheelchair athletes are currently competing at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, including four from Israel: Adam Berdichevsky, Guy Sasson, Sergei Lysov, and Maayan Zikri. Notably, there will be no wheelchair or quads tennis events at this year’s US Open due to the Paralympics taking place simultaneously.
The Paralympic wheelchair tennis tournament is a major event held every four years, conflicting with the US Open. However, the US Open will still host the juniors’ wheelchair tournament at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Queens, New York.
The Israeli players began their campaign on Friday at Stade Roland Garros, the same venue where Sasson recently clinched the French Open quads title. The competition will continue through September 7. The Israeli athletes have made a strong start:
- **Adam Berdichevsky**, 40, who started playing wheelchair tennis after a boating accident in 2007 led to the loss of a leg, won his first Paralympic singles match with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Italy’s Luca Arca. Berdichevsky, who also served as the Israeli flag bearer, expressed his joy at representing his country and the special feeling of playing before a crowd.
- **Sergei Lysov**, 20, who immigrated from Russia in 2019 after being diagnosed with Perthes’ disease, won his Paralympic debut match against Chile’s Brayan Tapia, 7-5, 6-1. Lysov, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 17 earlier this month, faced the tournament’s top seed, Alfie Hewett, in his next match and was defeated 6-0, 6-1.
- **Guy Sasson**, the reigning Roland Garros quad singles champion and the tournament’s No. 3 seed, advanced to the semifinals after defeating Francisco Cayulef of Chile 6-2, 6-3 and Gregory Slade of Great Britain 6-1, 6-2. Sasson highlighted the unique atmosphere and his confidence from recent victories as key motivators.
- **Maayan Zikri**, the only female Israeli player, won her first-round match against Najwa Awane of Morocco with a score of 6-3, 6-2. Zikri, who lost her right foot in a water ride accident at age 10, transitioned from wheelchair basketball to tennis and has rapidly ascended in the tennis world, winning multiple titles and achieving a No. 3 junior ranking in 2021.
This year marks the ninth time wheelchair tennis is featured as a full-medal event at the Summer Paralympics, following its debut in Barcelona 1992. The tournament includes 95 players from 28 nations, with singles matches played in best-of-three tie-break sets and doubles matches including a match tie-break for the final set. The competition is held on outdoor clay courts, the second time this surface is used since Barcelona 1992.
Boaz Kramer, Executive Director of the Israel ParaSport Center, expressed pride in the players and the center's longstanding commitment to wheelchair tennis. “To have four wheelchair tennis players from our center in the Paralympic Games is a dream come true,” he said.
The Israeli team, including tennis players and boccia competitor Nadav Levi, has received significant attention and support. Roni Bolotin, head of the Israeli delegation and a former Paralympic swimmer, emphasized the importance of the athletes' roles during these challenging times. “Sport can be the best tool for rehabilitation and a full life,” Bolotin said.
While the US Open is not hosting wheelchair tennis events this year, the USTA has allocated $6.244 million in grants to players who would have participated, ensuring they receive compensation equivalent to prize money.
Overall, the Israeli athletes are not only competing with skill and determination but also carrying the weight of national pride and resilience.
