Jordanian tennis player refuses to play against ‘Israeli’ player

Jordanian tennis player Abdullah Shelbayh, 21, has withdrawn from the 50-point Hersonissos Challenger tournament in Greece after being drawn to face an ‘Israeli’ player in the Round of 32.

Shelbayh's withdrawal was widely praised, and the official website of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) listed Italian player Filippo Moroni as his replacement.

Shelbayh's move follows similar actions by other Jordanian athletes who have refused to compete against ‘Israeli’ players.

Last month, the Jordanian youth national basketball team forfeited a game against ‘Israel’ at the World Cup in Switzerland, resulting in an automatic 20-0 loss.

Shelbayh recently rose 33 places in the international rankings, reaching a world ranking of 353. The jump came after he won seven of his last 10 matches in three competitions, most recently the Grodzisk Mazowiecki tournament in Poland.