Maayan Zikari Makes History with Australian Open Qualification

Historic Victory for Maayan Zikari

Maayan Zikari, currently ranked 18th in the world, achieved a significant mileststart by defeating Great Britain’s Lucy Shuker, ranked 15th, in the qualifiers for the Australian Open. Zikari won the match with a scoreline of 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, allowing her to advance to the first round of a Grand Slam event for the first time in her career.

Upcoming Matches

In the first round of the tournament, Zikari is set to face either Aniek van Koot, the world’s second-ranked player, or Mami Tanaka, currently ranked 12th. Reflecting on her recent performance, Zikari expressed her excitement: “I am really happy about the victory. Lucy led in the final set, but I managed to rise to the occasion, stage a comeback, and win the match. Now I am, of course, preparing for the next game.”

Guy Shasson and Other Competitors

Guy Shasson, another talented Israeli player who trains with Martin Demaine, will participate in the quad tournament. On Wednesday, he will compete against Donald Ramphadi from South Africa, ranked 10th. This marks Shasson’s third appearance at the Australian Open, where he previously finished as a runner-up in singles and doubles alongside Dutch partner Niels Vink.

Introduction of Sergi Lisov

Sergi Lisov, training under Ofri Lankri, will also make his debut at the Australian Open in the men’s tournament. Ranked 13th in the world, Lisov will kick off his campaign against Chinese player Zhenzhao Ji, who is currently ranked 11th.

This year’s Australian Open promises to be an exciting event as these talented athletes strive for success on the international stage.