Israeli wins at Wimbledon

(JNS) - Israeli player Guy Sasson and his Dutch partner, Niels Vink, delivered a commanding performance to capture the quad doubles wheelchair tennis crown at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships in London on Saturday. 

The duo overpowered South African Donald Ramphadi and Briton Gregory Slade in the final, securing a decisive 6–0, 6–2 victory.

Sasson, 45, declared "Am Yisrael Chai" live on the BBC following his win.

Born and raised in Ramat Gan, Sasson was an avid tennis player in his youth and served in the Israel Defense Forces before attending the University of Michigan. 

His life took a dramatic turn in 2015 when a snowboarding accident in France left him paralyzed from the knees down. After a year of intensive rehabilitation, Sasson was able to walk with the aid of braces and canes. His competitive spirit led him back to the courts-this time in a wheelchair.

Sasson began playing wheelchair tennis seriously in 2018 and quickly rose through the ranks, winning the Israeli Wheelchair Tennis Championship just a year later. He has since become one of the world's top quad division players, capturing singles titles at the French Open in 2024 and 2025, and earning a bronze medal for Israel at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. He dedicated his 2024 French Open victory to Israel and to the four hostages who were released from Gaza that day.

Off the court, Sasson is known for his dedication to family-he and his wife, Dr. Aya Mohr-Sasson, have four children-and for his efforts to support Israel's disabled sports community.