Sasson comes up just short of calendar-year Slam at US Open

Three Israelis – wheelchair players Guy Sasson and Sergei Lysov and junior Dan Brand - represented Israel at the US Open, although none returned home with a championship.

Israel’s representatives at the US Open came away without a championship trophy, but each made his mark at the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, with Guy Sasson coming closest to achieving a historic title.

When Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton in Sunday’s men’s singles final, ending the American’s bid to become the first US man to win a Grand Slam singles title since 2003, the two-week tournament in New York officially came to a close.

Three Israelis – wheelchair players Guy Sasson and Sergei Lysov and junior Dan Brand – proudly represented Israel at the US Open. While none returned home with a championship, all three gained valuable experience on one of tennis’ biggest stages.

Sasson, ranked third and the third seed in the quad singles tournament, advanced to the semifinals Friday, where he faced his doubles partner, top seed Niels Vink of the Netherlands.

Sasson battled back from 5-2 down in the opening set to level the score at 5-5, but Vink managed to close it out 7-5 before winning the second set 6-3. Vink went on to capture the singles championship.

After a brief rest, Sasson and Vink reunited on court as the top-seeded doubles team with a chance to complete a rare calendar-year Grand Slam. The pair had already won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles this year.

Standing between them and a fourth consecutive Grand Slam title were second seeds Sam Schröder of the Netherlands and Jin Woodman of Australia. Sasson and Vink dropped the opening set 6-2, responded by taking the second 6-3, but ultimately fell 10-7 in a heartbreaking super tiebreak, ending their bid for the calendar-year Grand Slam.

Despite the disappointment, Boaz Kramer, CEO of the Israel ParaSport Center, praised Sasson and Lysov for their performances and their continued commitment to reaching the highest levels of the sport.

“The Israel ParaSport Center is proud of our two athletes in the Open,” Kramer said. “A Grand Slam is the end of a very long and demanding road, and taking it takes dedication and commitment from both the athletes and their supporting teams.”

“Sergei and Guy are the elite of our Paralympians, and we will continue to support them and their head coaches, Ofri Lankri and Damien Martinique, in their journey to LA28,” he added.

Lysov, competing in his second US Open in the men’s wheelchair division, lost his opening-round singles match in three sets before falling in his first-round doubles match in a super tiebreaker. Brand, 17, made his US Open debut and enjoyed a strong showing in both singles and doubles.

The Israeli won his opening-round singles match in three sets before falling in the second round, also in three sets,
after suffering severe cramps midway through the deciding set. In doubles, Brand and Austrian partner Thilo Behrmann, the No. 5 seeds, advanced to the second round before losing to Yannik Alvarez of Puerto Rico and American Ryan Cozad.
Brand’s father, Shai, said he was extremely proud of his son’s performance and the way he represented Israel on the Grand Slam stage.

“I am so incredibly proud of my son for reaching the US Open and representing Israel across the Grand Slam stage,” Shai Brand said. “Standing on the world’s biggest courts with the Israeli flag on his chest is a true testament to his resilience, strength and unwavering spirit.”

Despite the challenges of competing with limited resources, Brand continues to pursue his development at the highest level, his father said.

“Despite the ongoing war, the aftermath of the pandemic, a lack of elite coaching support and minimal financial resources, he continues to fight against the very best in the world – competitors backed by massive budgets,” Brand said. “Dan proves that heart, determination, and passion can overcome any obstacle, and he makes an entire nation
proud every time he steps onto the court.”

Brand’s father also expressed his appreciation to the International Tennis Federation for selecting his son for its Grand Slam Player Development Program, which he participated in leading up to the US Open.

Brand to return to competition in Japan

After a brief visit with his family in Israel, Brand will return to international competition in Japan, where he is scheduled to compete in the J500 Osaka tournament, also known as the Osaka Mayor’s Cup World Super Junior Tennis Championships. The tournament will take place September 21-27 at the Utsubo Tennis Center in Osaka.

Israel’s senior tennis players will also be in action this week, with the national team set to face Slovenia in the Davis Cup World Group II tie on Sept. 18-19. The tie will be played on outdoor clay courts at the Tennis Academy Breskvar in Ljubljana.

While the US Open marked the end of the Grand Slam season, for Israel’s tennis players the international campaign continues, with Sasson and Lysov looking ahead to the next stage of their Paralympic journey and Brand continuing his development on the junior circuit.