- Title: ISRAEL: TENNIS - Israel reach Davis Cup semifinal for the first time
- Date: 12th July 2009
- Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (JULY 11, 2009) (REUTERS) ISRAELI DAVIS CUP DOUBLES PLAYERS, JONATHAN ERLICH AND ANDY RAM, SITTING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER ISRAELI TEAM WON OVER RUSSIAN SQUAD, BRINGING IT TO SEMI FINALS FOR THE FIRST TIME (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI TENNIS PLAYER ANDY RAM SAYING: "We are the most united team in the world, I know all the squads, all the players in
- Embargoed: 27th July 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA5RTGB5YK5WOGG24QGWHPG1WX6
- Story Text: Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich guide Israel to victory in the doubles against Russia to seal a place in the Davis Cup semifinal for the first time ever.
Israel reached the Davis Cup semi-finals for the first time on Saturday (July 11), after Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich gave them an unbeatable 3-0 lead over Russia in their World Group quarter-final.
The experienced pairing of Ram and Erlich thrilled the home supporters to beat Russia's Marat Safin and Igor Kunitsyn 6-3 6-4 6-7 4-6 6-4 in the doubles.
It was a rollercoaster of emotions for both the players and the capacity 11,000 crowd in Tel Aviv who watched their players try to finish off the match in straight sets before suffering a dip in their form and allowing the Russians back into the match.
Ram told reporters after the match that team spirit was key to the succcess of such a small nation.
"We are the most united team in the world, I know all the squads, all the players in the world, and I can tell in confidence that we are the most solid team in the world. Starting from the captain, to the doctor, and the players that are supportive of each other and love each other. Always cheering, throughout the games, that is the Davis Cup, the team. Such a small country, We don't have so many players in the state as you can see. If you look at it, on paper, many would say we are not a semi-final team, but we get there. And this is the third successive year we play in the upper house, and it's all due to the 'togetherness', that brings a lot of strength here in the country," he said.
The Israelis stormed into a two-set lead with Safin looking lethargic alongside doubles specialist Kunitsyn. But Ram lost his serve when serving for the match and allowed the Russians back to level it at two sets apiece.
Both Israelis appeared to run out of steam as the match progressed but the crowd raised its deafening level of support and Ram credited the fans for helping the players achieve the victory.
"It does not matter whether we win or lose (in Davis Cup semi-finals). Next year they have to return here to the country, and then they will be very scared. Nadal and the others, they will all be scared to play here in Yad Eliyahu (venue in which the match took place). So if we lose there or win there, they will come here and here we will win," Ram said when asked about their next game.
In the news conference, Ram also praised his partner, Erlich, with whom he won the Australian Open title in 2008.
Erlich was sidelined by an elbow injury for over a year and Saturday's partnership with Ram, who in the meantime has teamed up with Belarussian Max Mirnyi on the ATP Tour, was their first Davis Cup outing together in over a year.
Israel took a surprise 2-0 lead in the opening singles on Friday when 210th-ranked Harel Levy upset the formbook to beat Igor Andreev 6-4 6-2 4-6 6-2 before Israeli number one Dudi Sela beat Mikhail Youzhny for the delight of team captain team captain Eyal Ran.
"I wish you could feel what I feel, when you probably have a part in it, you know you feel the same way. But I'm so proud to be an Israeli today, so proud to be a part of this team. So proud to be a prat of this sport, David Cup tennis, I mean, it was an amazing feeling and It was a classic Davis Cup tie, the match today. We were up two sets to love, we had some match points, and then they came back. I give them credit for that but our guys were just too good today, and the crowd and everything pushed us and I felt the whole country behind me," he told Reuters.
On Saturday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office reported he has telephoned Moshe Haviv, director-general of the Israeli Tennis Association (ITA), and congratulated him on the historic victory against Russia.
Israel will play the winners of the quarter-final tie between champions Spain and Germany from September 18 to 20. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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