Israel Tennis Association
Encyclopedia
The Israel Tennis Association (the "ITA"; Hebrew
: איגוד הטניס בישראל), founded in 1950, is the national governing body for the sport of tennis
in Israel
. The ITA governs the arrangements for Israeli tennis leagues and tournaments, Israel's Davis Cup
participation, and Israeli participation in tennis tournaments abroad. It has a history of stormy relationships with some of Israel's top players and the Israel Tennis Centers
.
("ITC") and one of the founders of Kibbutz Shoval
in the Negev
, become chairman of the ITA in 1988 for a 2-year period, at which time "a state of turbulence" existed between the ITA and the ITC. Appointed to head both bodies at the same time, Friedstein felt that by 1990 he had succeeded in bringing "industrial peace" between them.
got into a tiff with the ITA when he accused it of mismanagement, suggesting that it was run in "an amateur fashion".
was made Israeli Davis Cup captain. Ran spoke to the players and the association and settled the crisis.
tournament for top women players, featuring more than US $140,000 (NIS
643,000) in prize money. The event was to be the first world-class pro tennis in Israel since the Ramat Gan Men's Tennis Tournament was cancelled several years prior. But the ITA cancelled the tournament in August 2006, citing the precarious security situation in the region. The ITA said the decision to cancel the event was taken after Sony Ericsson
WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott
wrote to them informing them that under the circumstances, the event could not be held. The 2007 tournament remained on the calendar.
For the 2008 Davis Cup match in Israel against Peru, NIS 600,000 revenue from the match made it a record season for the ITA, earned a total of NIS 10.5 million, 75% more than in 2006. The jump in income was due to the success of the women's and men's teams, who were both promoted to the 16-team world group and enabled the ITA to recruit sponsors and increase its royalties from the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The bulk of the revenue from the Peru matches came from ticket sales. The ITA sold all the tickets in a single deal to ticket agency "Leaan" for NIS 350,000.
At the same time, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz
was bringing the ITA and the Israeli Tennis Center to task for squabbling with each other to the detriment of the development of Israeli tennis.
, was very angry at the Israeli Olympic Committee and the ITA which decided not to send him to the Olympics in Beijing. "It maddens me that I am not taking part in the Olympics," Sela said. "Everyone ranked in the top 100 will be there except for me. In the past some players ranked in the bottom 100 have even taken gold medals. But for Israel being ranked in the top 100 is not enough. Not since the days of former Israeli tennis player Amos Mansdorf has Israel been in the top tier of the Davis Cup, and I carried us there. After such an achievement they still don't appreciate me enough to send me to the Olympics. This has sapped my motivation to play in the next Davis Cup." He continued, "No one gets how mad I am at the Association. Who am I playing tennis for in the Davis Cup? For myself?"
The ITA ultimately sided with Sela, but was overruled by the Olympic Committee of Israel (OCI). The decision to leave Sela out enraged the ITA, which appealed immediately, to no avail. The director of Israel's Elite Sport Department, Gilad Lustig, had no regrets of the OCI's decision, and put the blame in part on the ITA. "We set the criteria after a very long process and all the different associations, including the ITA, gave their approval," he maintained.
reported in 2008, "While the facilities at Israel's tennis centers are more than adequate, most people involved in tennis here still agree on the reason for the lack of prospects. Both Okun and Sela blamed the lack of quality ranking tournaments in Israel.... The Israeli Tennis Association does not put enough money into running tournaments at home to give Israelis the chance to play and win ranking points.... But unless the ITA rethinks its strategy, Sela and Pe'er could be the last in the current generation of Israeli tennis stars and Israel will once again sink into the lower ranks of tennis also-rans."
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz
concurred, and called for a large tennis tournament and a lower-level competition to be hosted by Israel. Janine Strauss, CEO of the ITC shared that view: "Anyone who understands anything about tennis knows that training is not enough – tournaments are essential."Berger
, who said: ""Only Ramat Hasharon
. We're not even thinking about Nokia. There's no reason to play against the Russians indoors – we love Ramat Hasharon"), who preferred to play outdoors in the heat on the hard court of Canada Stadium in Ramat Hashoaron which they were accustomed to, the ITA moved the tie against Russia in 2009 to the larger indoor Nokia Stadium. But the ITA was sensitive to the fact that the indoor arena has a capacity of 11,000 – more than double that of the Canada Stadium. ITA CEO Moshe Haviv denied that his prime consideration was the extra money such a move would bring in, and said the larger stadium would give more Israelis the chance to see the national team play, and allow them to watch the sport in more comfortable conditions.
The Israel Tennis Center (ITC) turning to the Tel Aviv District Court in an effort to prevent the ITA from playing the matches at the Nokia Stadium rather than the Canada Stadium in Ramat Hasharon, claiming that the previous ITA chairman, Assaf Hefetz, had given the ITA a written guarantee that future Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties would be played at Ramat Hasharon after the ITC renovated the venue in 2008. The court ruled in favor of the ITA, however, after the sides failed to reach a compromise as Judge Yehuda Fargo had suggested. "The stadium at Ramat Hasharon doesn't fit the requirements for such a world class event, and therefore it is better off to play at Nokia," said Fargo. "I think this is the wrong decision," ITC CEO Janine Strauss said. "It was important for the players to play at Ramat Hasharon."
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
: איגוד הטניס בישראל), founded in 1950, is the national governing body for the sport of tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The ITA governs the arrangements for Israeli tennis leagues and tournaments, Israel's Davis Cup
Israel Davis Cup team
The Israel Davis Cup team represents Israel in Davis Cup tennis competition and is governed by the Israel Tennis Association....
participation, and Israeli participation in tennis tournaments abroad. It has a history of stormy relationships with some of Israel's top players and the Israel Tennis Centers
Israel Tennis Centers
Israel Tennis Centers is the largest tennis program for children in the world, reaching more than 350,000 families—5% of the Israeli population...
.
1988–90: State of turbulence
Kollie Friedstein, also the executive director of the Israel Tennis CentersIsrael Tennis Centers
Israel Tennis Centers is the largest tennis program for children in the world, reaching more than 350,000 families—5% of the Israeli population...
("ITC") and one of the founders of Kibbutz Shoval
Shoval
Shoval is a kibbutz in the northern Negev desert in Israel. Located near the Bedouin city of Rahat, it falls under the jurisdiction of Bnei Shimon Regional Council.-History:...
in the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
, become chairman of the ITA in 1988 for a 2-year period, at which time "a state of turbulence" existed between the ITA and the ITC. Appointed to head both bodies at the same time, Friedstein felt that by 1990 he had succeeded in bringing "industrial peace" between them.
1990: Chairman Harnik II
In October 1990 Harnik was re-elected chairman of the ITA, a position that he held for many years.1996: Mansdorf dispute
In early 1996, Amos MansdorfAmos Mansdorf
Amos Mansdorf is a former professional tennis player.His best singles world ranking of 18 was the highest ever for any male, Israeli tennis player, reached in November 1987. His best doubles world ranking was 67, reached in May 1986.-Early life:...
got into a tiff with the ITA when he accused it of mismanagement, suggesting that it was run in "an amateur fashion".
2005: Dispute with Davis Cup players
In 2005, during at the peak of a disagreement between the Israeli Davis Cup players and the ITA, Eyal RanEyal Ran
Eyal Ran is a professional Israeli tennis player and Captain of the Israeli Davis Cup team.His career high ATP ranking in singles was 138 , and in doubles it was 71 .-Tennis career:...
was made Israeli Davis Cup captain. Ran spoke to the players and the association and settled the crisis.
2006: Return of pro tennis to Israel planned/cancelled
The ITA announced the return of professional tennis to Israel in 2006; the Anda Open high-level WTAWomen's Tennis Association
The Women's Tennis Association , founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of Women's Professional Tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of...
tournament for top women players, featuring more than US $140,000 (NIS
Israeli new sheqel
The Israeli New Shekel is the currency of the State of Israel. The shekel is divided into 100 agorot...
643,000) in prize money. The event was to be the first world-class pro tennis in Israel since the Ramat Gan Men's Tennis Tournament was cancelled several years prior. But the ITA cancelled the tournament in August 2006, citing the precarious security situation in the region. The ITA said the decision to cancel the event was taken after Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB is a joint venture established on October 1, 2001 by the Japanese consumer electronics company Sony Corporation and the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson to manufacture mobile phones....
WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott
Larry Scott (sports administrator)
Larry Scott is an American sports administrator and former professional tennis player who is currently the Commissioner of the collegiate Pacific-12 Conference...
wrote to them informing them that under the circumstances, the event could not be held. The 2007 tournament remained on the calendar.
2008: Record revenue
At the same time, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
was bringing the ITA and the Israeli Tennis Center to task for squabbling with each other to the detriment of the development of Israeli tennis.
2008: Sela/Olympics dispute
in 2008 Israel's top singles player, Dudi SelaDudi Sela
David "Dudi" Sela is an Israeli professional tennis player.Sela reached a career-high singles ranking of # 29 in July 2009. He is currently Israel's top men's singles player, ahead of Amir Weintraub.As a 17-year-old junior, he won the 2003 French Open boys' doubles championship with his doubles...
, was very angry at the Israeli Olympic Committee and the ITA which decided not to send him to the Olympics in Beijing. "It maddens me that I am not taking part in the Olympics," Sela said. "Everyone ranked in the top 100 will be there except for me. In the past some players ranked in the bottom 100 have even taken gold medals. But for Israel being ranked in the top 100 is not enough. Not since the days of former Israeli tennis player Amos Mansdorf has Israel been in the top tier of the Davis Cup, and I carried us there. After such an achievement they still don't appreciate me enough to send me to the Olympics. This has sapped my motivation to play in the next Davis Cup." He continued, "No one gets how mad I am at the Association. Who am I playing tennis for in the Davis Cup? For myself?"
The ITA ultimately sided with Sela, but was overruled by the Olympic Committee of Israel (OCI). The decision to leave Sela out enraged the ITA, which appealed immediately, to no avail. The director of Israel's Elite Sport Department, Gilad Lustig, had no regrets of the OCI's decision, and put the blame in part on the ITA. "We set the criteria after a very long process and all the different associations, including the ITA, gave their approval," he maintained.
2008: Lack of tournaments
The Jerusalem PostThe Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
reported in 2008, "While the facilities at Israel's tennis centers are more than adequate, most people involved in tennis here still agree on the reason for the lack of prospects. Both Okun and Sela blamed the lack of quality ranking tournaments in Israel.... The Israeli Tennis Association does not put enough money into running tournaments at home to give Israelis the chance to play and win ranking points.... But unless the ITA rethinks its strategy, Sela and Pe'er could be the last in the current generation of Israeli tennis stars and Israel will once again sink into the lower ranks of tennis also-rans."
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
concurred, and called for a large tennis tournament and a lower-level competition to be hosted by Israel. Janine Strauss, CEO of the ITC shared that view: "Anyone who understands anything about tennis knows that training is not enough – tournaments are essential."Berger
2009: Ramat Hasharon vs. Nokia Stadium dispute
Over the protests of all four of their own players (including Harel LevyHarel Levy
Har'el Levy is an Israeli professional male tennis player. Levy's best singles ranking was # 30 in the world in 2001, and his best doubles ranking was # 76 in 2007....
, who said: ""Only Ramat Hasharon
Ramat Hasharon
Ramat HaSharon is a city located on Israel's central coastal strip in the south of the Sharon region, bordering Tel Aviv to the south and Herzliya and Kibbutz Glil Yam to the north. It is part of the Tel Aviv District, within Gush Dan metropolitan area...
. We're not even thinking about Nokia. There's no reason to play against the Russians indoors – we love Ramat Hasharon"), who preferred to play outdoors in the heat on the hard court of Canada Stadium in Ramat Hashoaron which they were accustomed to, the ITA moved the tie against Russia in 2009 to the larger indoor Nokia Stadium. But the ITA was sensitive to the fact that the indoor arena has a capacity of 11,000 – more than double that of the Canada Stadium. ITA CEO Moshe Haviv denied that his prime consideration was the extra money such a move would bring in, and said the larger stadium would give more Israelis the chance to see the national team play, and allow them to watch the sport in more comfortable conditions.
The Israel Tennis Center (ITC) turning to the Tel Aviv District Court in an effort to prevent the ITA from playing the matches at the Nokia Stadium rather than the Canada Stadium in Ramat Hasharon, claiming that the previous ITA chairman, Assaf Hefetz, had given the ITA a written guarantee that future Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties would be played at Ramat Hasharon after the ITC renovated the venue in 2008. The court ruled in favor of the ITA, however, after the sides failed to reach a compromise as Judge Yehuda Fargo had suggested. "The stadium at Ramat Hasharon doesn't fit the requirements for such a world class event, and therefore it is better off to play at Nokia," said Fargo. "I think this is the wrong decision," ITC CEO Janine Strauss said. "It was important for the players to play at Ramat Hasharon."