'Ace Achievers': Israel's Paralympic Tennis Stars Shine In Paris

People around the world witness one of the best kind of Tennis wherever it happens. Currently, the world is witnessing two major events which are going on (US Open 2024 & Paris Paralympics 2024). Both sporting events are going head to head, due to their stiff competition.

In the Paris Paralympics 2024, From Israel, Adam Berdichevsky, Guy Sasson, Sergei Lysov, and Maayan Zikr are representing in the wheelchair tennis event, which started on Friday at Stade Roland Garros (home of the French Open, where Guy Sasson recently won the French Open quads title.

On Friday, Adam Berdichevsky, who lost a leg in a 2007 boating accident, defeated Italy's Luca Arca 6-2, 7-5.

This was Berdichevsky’s first singles victory at the Paralympics since debuting at Tokyo 2020.

'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' said Adam Berdichevsky.

Berdichevsky will now lock horns with Chile’s Alexander Cataldo.

Sergei Lysov's Quest

Sergei Lysov, who was diagnosed with Perthes’ disease at age 9 and immigrated to Israel from Russia in 2019, defeated Brayan Tapia of Chile 7-5, 6-1 in his Paralympic debut.

Lysov reached a career-high ranking of No. 17 earlier this month and advanced to the second round on Sunday against the tournament’s No. 1 seed, Alfie Hewett of Great Britain.

'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. 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.' said Lysov.

Maayan Zikri's Determination

The only female on the Israeli team, defeated Morocco's Najwa Awane 6-3, 6-2 in her first-round match.

This is the ninth year that wheelchair tennis will be featured at the Summer Paralympic Games. The sport made its debut as a full-medal event at Barcelona 1992. The sport had previously been a demonstration event at Seoul 1988, when a men’s singles and women’s singles tournament was held.

The men’s and women’s singles events have been played at every Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event since 1992, while the quad singles and doubles events have been contested since Athens 2004.

Zikri, 21, openly and comfortably shared the story of how she lost her right foot in a water ride at an amusement park in Holland (now Netherlands) at age of 10 while on a family trip celebrating her sister’s bat mitzvah. After several surgeries and rehabilitation, she took up para sports.

'Two wheelchair basketball coaches told me about basketball, spoke with my mom, and asked if I wanted to try it.'

'I love the international environment,' she recounts, and was disappointed when she was no longer allowed to play on a boys’ team—and there were not enough girls to field a girls’ team. 'The wheelchair basketball coach in Israel was a tennis player when he was younger and knew that I liked to travel and to compete and asked me if I wanted to try.' said Zikri.

'Tennis is my love for now. I miss basketball but I don’t regret it.'

Zikri has quickly moved up the ranks in the tennis world since picking up a racket for the first time at age 15. She reached a No. 3 ranking in the world for juniors in 2021.

Currently, Israel is involved in a war with Palestine and people from both sides having tough time to tackle the war situation.