As someone who has been competing on the international circuit for over six years, with more than ten tournaments each year, I’ve collected countless stories along the way—both positive and challenging. Together, they shape and define my career.
One particularly meaningful story happened in 2018, when I competed at the Ukrainian Junior International Championship. I was playing doubles with a Ukrainian partner, and in the quarterfinals, we were scheduled to face a pair from Saudi Arabia. Naturally, I was mentally prepared for any scenario, given the history of Israeli athletes facing players from certain countries—but I still hoped everything would go smoothly.
We stepped onto the court. They refused to shake hands, which I accepted with understanding—at least they were willing to play, I thought. The umpire flipped the coin, and then suddenly, they turned around and walked off the court in protest.
Later, I found out their coach had recorded the whole incident from the stands, and they proudly posted the video on social media, celebrating the fact that they boycotted an Israeli athlete.
As for me—I chose to focus on the positive: we were awarded a technical victory and advanced straight to the semifinals. I was satisfied with that.