Israel’s Paralympic tennis players shine in Paris

The world’s leading wheelchair athletes, including four from Israel—Adam Berdichevsky, Guy Sasson, Sergei Lysov, and Maayan Zikri—are fiercely competing at Stade Roland Garros. This year, the US Open Tennis Championships will not feature men's and women's wheelchair or quads tennis due to the Paralympics, where the world’s top wheelchair tennis players are currently representing their countries in Paris, France.

Every four years, the Paralympics wheelchair tournament coincides with the US Open. However, the juniors wheelchair tournament will still be held at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Queens, New York, as scheduled.

The Israeli team—Berdichevsky, Sasson, Lysov, and Zikri—began their Paralympic campaign on Friday at the iconic Stade Roland Garros, the same venue where Sasson recently clinched the French Open quads title. The Israeli players have had an impressive start.

On Friday, Berdichevsky, 40, who began playing wheelchair tennis after losing a leg in a 2007 boating accident, secured a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Italy’s Luca Arca. This win marked Berdichevsky’s first singles triumph at the Paralympics since his debut in Tokyo 2020.

“It was an incredible experience to represent my country like this. Playing in front of a crowd felt like being at home—it was very special. I’m thrilled to have given people some joy despite challenging times,” Berdichevsky said.

Earlier in the week, Berdichevsky had the honor of being the Israeli delegation’s flag bearer. He shared his excitement: “Carrying the flag was amazing, and walking with the entire Israeli team was a memorable moment—seeing it all on TV was incredible.”

Berdichevsky is now set to compete against Chile’s Alexander Cataldo in the next round.

On Friday, Sergei Lysov, 20, who was diagnosed with Perthes' disease at age 9 and moved to Israel from Russia in 2019, marked his Paralympic debut with a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Brayan Tapia of Chile.

Earlier this month, Lysov achieved a career-high ranking of No. 17 and progressed to the second round on Sunday, where he faced the tournament's No. 1 seed, Alfie Hewett of Great Britain. Hewett, a 9-time Grand Slam singles and 3-time Roland Garros singles champion, is competing in his third Paralympics and defeated Lysov decisively with scores of 6-0, 6-1.

On Saturday, Roland Garros quad singles champion and the tournament’s No. 3 seed, Guy Sasson, won his first-round match against Francisco Cayulef of Chile with scores of 6-2, 6-3, advancing to the quarterfinals. On Monday, Sasson continued his strong performance by defeating Gregory Slade of Great Britain 6-1, 6-2, securing his place in the semifinals.

“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,” said Sasson. “I had a lot of fun playing this match. Winning Roland Garros two months ago gave me a lot of confidence. I love the clay here and the atmosphere. I knew it would be a good step towards the Paralympics, and here we are.”

Maayan Zikri, the sole female on the Israeli team, won her first-round match against Najwa Awane of Morocco with scores of 6-3, 6-2.

Boaz Kramer, Executive Director of the Israel ParaSport Center, who won a silver medal in mixed doubles quads at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, expressed pride in the four tennis players and boccia player Nadav Levi from their center in Ramat Gan.

“To have four wheelchair tennis players from the Israel ParaSport Center in the Paralympic Games is a dream come true. This dream has been realized through nearly a decade of dedicated work and investment in a unique tennis program that honors our center’s long legacy of wheelchair tennis excellence. Seeing Adam, who survived October 7 with his family, as the flag bearer in the opening ceremony was an emotional moment for all of us.”

Three of the four Paralympic tennis players spoke with The Jerusalem Post from Paris as they prepared for the Paralympics. Lysov, from Russia, was not available for comment as he continues to work on improving his Hebrew and English skills.

Zikri, 21, from Holon, openly shared her story of losing her right foot in a water ride accident at an amusement park in Holland when she was 10, during a family trip celebrating her sister’s bat mitzvah. Following multiple surgeries and rehabilitation, she embraced para sports.

“Two wheelchair basketball coaches introduced me to the sport, spoke with my mom, and asked if I wanted to give it a try,” she recounted.

Though Maayan was initially hesitant, she trusted her mom’s judgment.

“I tried it and enjoyed it!” she said enthusiastically.

Zikri played competitive basketball on a boys’ team for five years, enjoying the international environment. She was disappointed when she could no longer play on the boys' team due to a lack of girls for a girls' team. Her Israeli wheelchair basketball coach, who had been a tennis player in his youth and knew of her love for travel and competition, suggested she try tennis.

Zikri traveled to Beit HaLochem in Beersheba to test out tennis and was immediately captivated. She initially balanced both sports but eventually focused solely on tennis to avoid injuries.

“Tennis is my current passion. I miss basketball, but I don’t regret my decision.”

Since picking up a racket at 15, Zikri has risen rapidly in the tennis world. In 2021, she achieved a No. 3 world ranking for juniors and won her first title at the Hungarian Open Wheelchair Tennis Championship in 2022. She has since claimed victories in Switzerland, England, and Romania, with her latest triumph being a first-place finish at the X Open Bai De Setúbal in July 2023.

Representing Israel at the Paralympics fills Zikri with pride.

“It brings me joy, happiness, and excitement. I am so proud to represent the country I love.”

Berdichevsky, who was interviewed just before the flag-bearing ceremony, expressed his pride in representing Israel and carrying the flag.

“To represent Israel, to carry the flag, and to be a representative of my country is truly amazing. It makes me happy and proud,” he said. Despite a challenging year, Berdichevsky is thrilled to qualify for the Paralympics again.

He shared the traumatic experience of October 7, when his family, including his wife and three children, spent 14 hours in a safe room during the Hamas invasion at Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak. They later relocated to Eilat for two months. Berdichevsky appreciated the Houston Jewish community's support, which included providing his family with housing and school for the children. They spent six months in Houston before returning to Eilat and are now considering their next move, potentially returning to Houston.

“We are so thankful to the Houston Jewish community for their support. We felt very welcomed!” he said.

Berdichevsky, who felt immense pride representing Israel in the 2020 Tokyo Games, believes it’s even more significant now to represent his country due to recent events and to serve as a role model for injured soldiers.

His strategy for the Paralympics this year is straightforward: “Win the first point and then move on to the next one!”

Sasson, who spoke with the Post from Paris before the Paralympics, noted that returning to Roland Garros felt familiar. He is competing in the quads division this time, having previously competed in the wheelchairs division.

“There’s a lot of expectation, which motivates me,” Sasson said. “I feel good and well-prepared. Hopefully, I’ll perform as well as I want to.”

Like his teammates, Sasson feels a profound sense of pride in representing Israel at this moment.

“The entire team is thrilled to be representing Israel, especially during these times. It’s much more than just tennis; it’s about representing Israel with deep meaning. You can sense that it’s very important to all the athletes, who are determined to perform well and bring joy to our people.”

Roni Bolotin, a former Paralympic swimmer and head of the Israeli delegation, shared that 27 athletes are competing across 10 events, including goalball. Bolotin, who became disabled and an amputee with significant eye damage in a 1968 minefield explosion in the Sinai during his IDF service, noted that despite this being his 12th Paralympics, the excitement remains undiminished.

“This year holds special significance,” Bolotin explained. “Everyone understands the unique role and responsibility of the athletes during these exceptional times for Israel. We realize the importance of giving our best and serving as role models for those newly disabled from their service in Gaza and the north.”

Bolotin emphasized the power of sport in rehabilitation and leading a fulfilling life. “Sport can be the best tool for rehabilitation and for living a rewarding life. Our staff is actively visiting rehab centers to demonstrate that sports can offer the best quality of life in these situations.”

He expressed pride in the Israeli tennis team in Paris. “The team is a blend of two seasoned players and two promising newcomers. The future looks bright for them!”

Additionally, some wheelchair tennis players participating in the Paralympics will receive compensation from the US Open, despite not competing there. According to the USTA (United States Tennis Association), they have provided “players who would have been entered into the US Open via direct acceptance with a player grant to ensure they receive equivalent prize money as compensation.” A total of $6,244,000 has been allocated for wheelchair tennis grants, player per diems, and hotel expenses, out of a total $75,000,000 in main draw and qualifying payments for the US Open.