Guy Sasson

{{Infobox wheelchair tennis player

| name = Guy Sasson
גיא ששון

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| country = {{ISR}}

| residence =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1980|04|28}}

| birth_place = Ramat Gan, Israel

| turnedpro =

| retired =

| plays = Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

| careerprizemoney =

| website =

| singlesrecord = {{tennis record|won=28|lost=5}}

| singlestitles =

| highestsinglesranking = No. 3 (29 January 2024)

| currentsinglesranking = No. 3 (2 September 2024)

| AustralianOpenresult = F (2024)

| FrenchOpenresult = W (2024)

| Wimbledonresult = SF (2024)

| USOpenresult = QF (2023)

| Othertournaments = yes

| WheelchairTennisMastersresult = SF (2023)

| ParalympicsSinglesresult =

| doublesrecord = {{tennis record|won=13|lost=5}}

| doublestitles =

| highestdoublesranking = No. 4 (15 July 2024)

| currentdoublesranking = No. 4 (2 September 2024)

| AustralianOpenDoublesresult = F (2024, 2025)

| FrenchOpenDoublesresult = F (2024)

| WimbledonDoublesresult = F (2024)

| USOpenDoublesresult = QF (2023)

| OthertournamentsDoubles =

| WheelchairTennisMastersDoublesresult =

| ParalympicsDoublesresult =

| WheelchairWorldTeamCupresult =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{ISR}}}}

| medaltemplates-expand = yes

}}

Guy Sasson (גיא ששון; born April 28, 1980) is an Israeli Paralympic wheelchair tennis player. He won the 2024 French Open Quad Singles event. His highest world ranking in singles is #3, and in doubles is #4, both on September 2, 2024. He won a bronze medal for Israel at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in the Quad singles event.

Early and personal life

Sasson was born and grew up in Ramat Gan, Israel, and is Jewish. His parents are Nissim, who worked in real estate, and Venus, who worked in education, and he has two younger brothers.[https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/players/overview/itf800538060/profile.html "Guy Sasson,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903150949/https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/players/overview/itf800538060/profile.html |date=2024-09-03 }} Wimbledon. He played tennis as a child, served in the Israel Defense Forces, and attended the University of Michigan, and founded a real estate company.[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/sports/article-759192 "Israeli quads tennis star Guy Sasson shares his 1st US Open experience,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831065546/https://www.jpost.com//israel-news/sports/article-759192 |date=2024-08-31 }} The Jerusalem Post.

He married Aya Mohr (now Dr. Aya Mohr-Sasson, a gynecologist). Sasson and his wife have four children.[https://www.jns.org/the-hectic-life-of-guy-sasson-world-ranked-israeli-wheelchair-tennis-player/ "Sasson, world-ranked Israeli wheelchair tennis player,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829005042/https://www.jns.org/the-hectic-life-of-guy-sasson-world-ranked-israeli-wheelchair-tennis-player/ |date=2024-08-29 }} Jewish News Syndicate. His brother spent two months in the IDF reserves in Gaza.

Snowboarding accident

In January 2015 Sasson was paralyzed from the knees down in a snowboarding accident in Val Thorens, France, after falling 10 meters (33 feet) and injuring his back and leg.[https://www-israelhayom-co-il.translate.goog/magazine/shishabat/article/16022565?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc&_x_tr_hist=true "Conventional hitter: after winning Roland Garros - tennis player Guy Sassoon aims for the Paralympic Games,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831094130/https://www-israelhayom-co-il.translate.goog/magazine/shishabat/article/16022565?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc&_x_tr_hist=true |date=2024-08-31 }} Israel HaYom.[https://ononews-co-il.translate.goog/home-page-headlines/%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%94%D7%98%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%90%D7%99-%D7%92%D7%99%D7%90-%D7%A9%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%9E%D7%A1%D7%91%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%99%D7%A9/?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc "First interview: tennis player Guy Sassoon Massivon will participate in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831092628/https://ononews-co-il.translate.goog/home-page-headlines/%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%94%D7%98%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%90%D7%99-%D7%92%D7%99%D7%90-%D7%A9%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%9E%D7%A1%D7%91%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%99%D7%A9/?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc |date=2024-08-31 }} Ono News. He was flown to Tel Hashomer Hospital in Israel, where he had major surgery on his spine and hand, and was told by the doctors that he would not be able to walk again. After spending a year in a rehab hospital he was able to walk out, albeit with the help of braces and canes.

Wheelchair tennis career

Sasson started playing tennis seriously in 2018.[https://www.ijn.com/jewish-competitors-paralympics-preview/ "Jewish competitors — paralympics preview,"] Intermountain Jewish News. He is coached by Ofri Lankri.[https://www-ynet-co-il.translate.goog/articles/0,7340,L-5617169,00.html?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc "Guy Sassoon won the Israel Wheelchair Tennis Championship,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831152721/https://www-ynet-co-il.translate.goog/articles/0,7340,L-5617169,00.html?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc |date=2024-08-31 }} Ynet. He won the 2019 Israel Wheelchair Tennis Championship.

He competed for Israel in the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2021, coming in 9th. Sasson competed in the 2024 U.S. Open in New York, where he reached the quarterfinals in both singles and doubles. In May 2023 he was part of the Israeli quad wheelchair tennis team that won the silver medal at the world championship in Portugal. He won the 2024 Victorian Wheelchair Open for singles, and the doubles of the 2024 Melbourne Wheelchair Open.

Sasson won his first major title at the 2024 French Open, defeating Sam Schröder in the final of the Quad Singles event in a tiebreaker.{{cite web |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-06-09/ty-article/.premium/israeli-paralympic-tennis-player-wins-first-grand-slam-title-in-roland-garros/0000018f-fc4b-d5ad-ad8f-fc4bd55e0000 |title=Israeli Paralympic Tennis Player Wins First Grand Slam Title in Roland Garros |last=Rakovsky |first=Ido |date=June 9, 2024 |website=Haaretz |publisher= |access-date=2024-06-09 |quote= |archive-date=2024-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240609172650/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-06-09/ty-article/.premium/israeli-paralympic-tennis-player-wins-first-grand-slam-title-in-roland-garros/0000018f-fc4b-d5ad-ad8f-fc4bd55e0000 |url-status=live }} He dedicated his victory to Israel and to the four hostages who were released from Gaza on that day.[https://www-ynet-co-il.translate.goog/sport/article/dvg9sf6x7?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc&_x_tr_hist=true "Dedicating it to the freed hostages": Guy Sassoon won Roland Garros in wheelchairs,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831092628/https://www-ynet-co-il.translate.goog/sport/article/dvg9sf6x7?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc&_x_tr_hist=true |date=2024-08-31 }} Ynet. He also reached the finals in the 2024 Australian Open in both singles and doubles.

Sasson won a bronze medal for Israel at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in Quad singles, defeating Ahmet Kaplan of Turkey in the bronze medal match.[https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/tennis-player-guy-sasson-claims-bronze-israels-ninth-medal-at-paralympics/ "Tennis player Guy Sasson claims bronze, Israel’s ninth medal at Paralympics,"] The Times of Israel.