Sela walks mid-match for Yom Kippur
Israeli tennis player Dudi Sela was only one set away from reaching his first ATP Tour semifinal in nine months when he stopped playing and walked off court ahead of Yom Kippur.
ISRAELI tennis player Dudi Sela was only one set away from reaching his first ATP Tour semifinal in nine months when he stopped playing and walked off court ahead of Yom Kippur.
Sela, who is ranked 77th in the world and is supported by hundreds of Jewish fans when he plays at the Australian Open every year, was playing in China’s Shenzhen Open last Friday.
His quarterfinal against Alexandr Dolgopolov was hanging in the balance at one set all when Sela decided he had to leave because sunset was approaching and Kol Nidrei was beginning.
Sela had asked for his match to be moved to an earlier start time to avoid the Yom Kippur clash, but the request was denied.
Reaching the semifinals would have earned Sela an additional $12,000 to the almost $30,000 he had already guaranteed himself by advancing to the last eight.
It also cost him at least 45 ranking points, and of course the chance to go even further in the tournament.
Sela took the decision out of reverence to Israel and its customs not because he is religious, according to his brother Ofer Sela. “Dudi is not a believer and I will tell you here that he’s not accustomed to fasting on Yom Kippur,” the brother wrote on Facebook.
Ofer Sela, himself a former tennis star, added: “He did not have to retire but he did it anyway. Not for anyone, not for fear of anyone, not because he was asked to do so and not to please.
“He did so only because he respects Yom Kippur and the country he represents every time he is called to the flag.”
The Israel Tennis Association expressed “appreciation for Dudi and for his personal sacrifice”, and said that his action will be a source of “pride for Israeli tennis all through the year”.
Sela wasn’t the only Jewish sportsperson to avoid a Yom Kippur clash.
Omri Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the National Basketball Association, missed his preseason opener with the Golden State Warriors because it took place on Yom Kippur.
The Warriors, with whom Casspi signed a one-year deal in July, played Saturday against the Denver Nuggets.
Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said Casspi had his “full support” to sit out the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.
“Whatever each person needs to do, obviously we afford them that right,” Kerr said.
“It’s an important holiday for people of the Jewish faith. Obviously, Omri has our full support, and we’ll see him tomorrow.”
Casspi will make his debut with the championship team next week when the Warriors play two exhibition games against the Minnesota Timberwolves in China.
Casspi also missed media day in 2009 with Sacramento Kings in his first year in the NBA due to Yom Kippur.
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