The world’s leading wheelchair athletes, including four Israelis—Adam Berdichevsky, Guy Sasson, Sergei Lysov, and Maayan Zikri—are competing intensely at Stade Roland Garros.
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There will be no men’s or women’s wheelchair or quads tennis at this year’s US Open Tennis Championships, and there’s a very good reason for it. The world’s top wheelchair tennis players are currently in Paris, competing in the Paralympics.
Every four years, the Paralympics wheelchair tournament overlaps with the US Open. However, the juniors wheelchair tournament will still be held as scheduled at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Queens, New York.
Four Israeli athletes—Adam Berdichevsky, Guy Sasson, Sergei Lysov, and Maayan Zikri—are representing their country in the wheelchair tennis event, which began on Friday and runs through September 7 at Stade Roland Garros. This is the same venue where Sasson recently claimed the French Open quads title. The Israeli players are off to an impressive start.
On Friday, Berdichevsky, 40, who began playing wheelchair tennis after losing a leg in a 2007 boating accident, triumphed over Italy's Luca Arca with scores of 6-2, 7-5. This marked Berdichevsky's first singles victory at the Paralympics since his debut at Tokyo 2020.
“It was incredibly rewarding to represent my country in this way. Playing in front of such a crowd for the first time felt like a home game – it was truly special. I’m thrilled to have brought some joy to people during these challenging times.”
Earlier in the week, Berdichevsky proudly served as the flag bearer for the Israeli delegation. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “Carrying the flag was incredible, and walking alongside the entire Israeli team was unforgettable—plus, everyone got to see me on TV.”
Berdichevsky will now compete against Chile’s Alexander Cataldo in the second round.