Ram last Israeli standing at Wimbledon
ANDY Ram is still a contender at Wimbledon, after he and partner Kveta Peschke ousted compatriots Shahar Peer and Jonathan Erlich in the mixed doubles event at the All England Club.
ANDY Ram is still a contender at Wimbledon, after he and partner Kveta Peschke ousted compatriots Shahar Peer and Jonathan Erlich in the mixed doubles event at the All England Club.
But Italian Jew Camila Giorgi was the biggest surprise of all, reaching the fourth round of the women’s singles before losing to 13th seed Agnieszka Radwanska from Poland 6-2, 6-3.
Giorgi, ranked 145 going into the event, defeated 16th seed Flavia Pennetta and 20th seed Nadia Petrova on her way to the last 16.
Peer, who hasn’t made it past the second round since last year’s Australian Open, was sent packing in the first round of the singles event, losing to German 22nd seed Julia Goerges 6-2, 6-2. The 50th ranked Israeli suffered the same fate in the women’s doubles with Belgian partner Yanina Wickmayer, losing to Polish sisters Agnieszka and Urszula Radwanska 6-2, 6-3.
Peer did, however, advance to the second round of the mixed doubles with partner Erlich, but was unable to get past Ram and Czech Peschke, going down 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Ram will hope to continue his strong run in the mixed doubles, after he and Erlich crashed out in the second round of the men’s doubles 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 to Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek.
Dudi Sela continued his horror run in the first round of grand slams, losing to big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 and then bowing out with Russian partner Alex Bogomolov Jr in the first round of the doubles event.
Scott Lipsky is the sole American Jew in the competition, making it through to the third round of the men’s doubles with long-time partner Rajeev Ram.
Fellow American Jesse Levine made it through to the second round in the singles event, but went down to Belgian David Goffin 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.
Controversial American Wayne Odesnik took part in his first grand slam event in 18 months, after serving a lengthy ban for importing human growth hormones into Australia in March 2010.
After having his sentence reduced, Odesnik was given a spot in the men’s main draw, but went down to German Bjorn Phau 6-3, 3-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 in an epic first round five-setter.
Israel’s only junior player, Bar Tzuf Botzer, is set to team with American Connor Farren against British duo Tommy Bennett and Joshua Sapwell.
In better news for Israeli tennis, wheelchair quad star Noam Gershony took out the BNP Paribas French Open, toppling Jamie Burdekin from Britain 6-3, 6-3 in the final.
Gershony just missed out on taking the doubles event as well, he and countryman Boaz Kramer narrowly defeated by British number one seeds Andrew Lapthorne and Peter Norfolk.
AJN Staff
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