(JTA) — A Tunisian tennis player who withdrew from a 2013 match rather than face an Israeli quit a match in France with an Israeli opponent up next.
Malek Jaziri cited an elbow injury for his withdrawal Wednesday from the Open Sud de France after winning the first set of a first-round match. With a victory, his next opponent was Israel’s Dudi Sela.
The Association of Tennis Professionals confirmed the withdrawal was due to the injury but also opened an investigation into the case due to the previous withdrawal, The Associated Press reported.
In October 2013, Jaziri withdrew from the Tashkent Challenger rather than compete against Israel’s Amir Weintraub in the quarterfinals. Though Jaziri claimed he quit because of a knee injury, his brother Amir, who then was also his coach, told the French news agency AFP at the time that he pulled out under orders from the Tunisian Tennis Federation not to play an Israeli.
The International Tennis Federation banned the Tunisian national team from competing in the 2014 Davis Cup over the incident.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
