Sela concedes quarter-final tie for Yom Kippur
Match was level at one set all, before Israeli decided to retire from the match at the Shenzhen Open in China
Andrew Sherwood is the Jewish News Sport and Community Editor
Dudi Sela retired from his quarter-final match at the ATP Tour Shenzhen Open on Friday morning to ensure he wasn’t still playing at the start of Yom Kippur.
The Israeli was taking part in his first ATP Tour quarter-final match in nearly nine months, and secured his place in the last eight tie by defeating the tournament’s third seed and world No. 26 Mischa Zverev 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
Requesting that today’s match against the world number 53, Ukrainian Alexander Dolphogolov, could start as early as possible to ensure it would end before Yom Kippur started in China, the match was second on the centre court. The 32-year-old, who’s ranked 77 in the world, lost the first set 6-3, before winning the second 7-5, to ensure a third and deciding set.
However, just eight minutes into the third set, having lost the opening game, he decided to retire from the match to ensure he wasn’t playing at the start of Yom Kippur.
As well as forfeiting the chance of reaching the semi-finals, he also lost out on potentially earning 90 ranking points and £30.000. His run in China has though earned him £18,000, and he is set to rise to around 69 in the world rankings.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
