June Ehrlich has tasted almost everything in his tennis career.
Winning the Grand Slam, Davis Cup semi-final after a showdown against Russia, disappointments, joys.
Anything you want to put on the list - has a place.
Still, he must have what others do not have, and perhaps not any active tennis player in the round.
Otherwise there is no other explanation for the fact that at 44, and just before he celebrates 45, he continues to run around the tennis courts around the world, participate in the biggest tournaments and yes, even reach achievements.
In a special interview with "Israel Today", Ehrlich gives a glimpse into the head of the so-called "old man of the round".
"Once I have decided that I am starting a new year - I go for it to the end. That is the essence of a tennis player," says Ehrlich.
"I've had moments of crisis in the last five or six years and I still always told myself that it's an amazing and prestigious sport and a lot of locals would like to travel the world and participate in the biggest tournaments."
44-year-old former #AusOpen doubles champion Jonathan Erlich still rolling around on Kia Arena.
His sock game is elite too!
pic.twitter.com/ibyFJv2wew
- Val Febbo (@ VFebbo96) January 20, 2022
Have you had moments that you were already thinking of retiring?
"I have these moments all the time. Everyone is messing with me because I said I was before the end and since then I pull three-four-five years. Every year you have to find strength and start a new year and set new goals."
Are you attractive or can you play for a few more years?
"I do not set myself the facts of how many years I will play. Each year is by itself. At the end of each year I check with myself if I can continue to keep up with the flights and training and be alone without my wife and kids which is a very difficult tier on these trips. "I sit with the family for a year and decide together whether to pull another year or not. As soon as I understand that it is not profitable, financially and physically, then I will stop."
A lot of players retire at much earlier ages. You must have a secret.
"If there's something I've been doing consistently for 15 years it's keeping my body and treating it on a daily basis in a proper and balanced way. So true, sometimes it hurts me because I can no longer stretch my limit anymore. Of course it's not enough to take anymore. "Grand Slams but I am competitive enough to win games and take tournaments during the year. It's not easy, every game takes a lot of strength from me and recovering is not easy at all but thank God I was blessed with a good body and with a lot of faith and strength I am still there."
At such an age, the vast majority of Ehrlich's rivals are a respectable number of years younger than him and in front of certain players, some of them in the world top, the gap also reaches 20 years and more.
As a veteran player his name goes before him, but in such encounters there is always an impact on the attitude towards him.
Ehrlich in 2010, Photo: Alan Schieber
"It's not that the players feel sorry for me. Everyone laughs a little, it's true, but they also gain a lot of respect and appreciation. Still, I'm over 25 years in the column and some were not born when I started playing, such as Andrei Rublev, Dennis Shapovalov and Alexander Zebrav. "I put them in the right perspective because sometimes people forget and take things for granted."
You mentioned Zebrav. In the last Montpellier tournament you defeated both him and Tsonga. you spoke to him?
"Yes, I told him that I first saw him with Andy Ram at the Metz tournament in France when he was 15. His mother came to us and told us that this child was going to be something something. Something something came to be third in the world. We laughed about him feeling already old (son "I told him every time you feel that way you will think of me and feel good about yourself. He laughed and told me he was right. Happy to be the one to give the other players in the round more perspectives."
Even at your age, you are still the top Israeli name in men's tennis. The industry in the country is not rising and it is a bit pinching.
"Very pinching. We all hope that names like Yishai Uliel, Daniel Zuckerman, Idan Leshem and Ben Fattal will reach at least 200-250 in the world. Overall I think this generation has good tools. The Corona has hit this quartet in critical years. Yishai is advancing but it is still far away "From what we all expect. As captain of the team, I am supportive and hopeful that they will succeed. Their success is our success."
Next month the Davis Cup returns to Israel after four and a half years. How do you prepare for South Africa?
"The truth is that the corona hurt our guys. Ben started competing a few weeks ago but the rest is only now. They will come to the meeting after little participation in competitions but that is a fact and there is no way to change the situation. I hope this year will start positively for them and they will improve."
The fact that you're still playing alongside them, do you have a positive impact on them?
"I have a very positive impact. Both as a tribal elder and as an active player who has seen a lot and can give them confidence and guidance in addition to the professional team."
The move to the method of the best of three in Davis contributes more?
"I'm personally in favor. The best of five is long and dragging and on a personal level it's definitely good for me in terms of fitness. Five hours on the pitch is hard for me."
With the memorable partner Andy Ram, Photo: Alan Schieber
Remember the last time you played five sets?
"If I am not mistaken in 2018. I think it is better for the audience and spectators at home and that is why they also managed to shorten it to two days instead of three days. Many of Israel's previous meetings were decided in games that reached five sets but that's history and now they made history."
What would it be like to host your partner Lloyd Harris?
"It's a pretty funny piece, yes. Lloyd is a good friend of mine and his coach is a former Israeli and I know him for 20 years. It will be exciting to see him here, we will host him in the most beautiful way possible. I do not know if he will play in doubles or singles ".
Without of course speeding up, but do you have plans after retirement?
"Not really. I'm currently involved in some business-level projects and they're filling me in right now besides tennis. I'm constantly exploring my field and options."
Maybe a partner in Andy Ram's ice cream parlor? Seems like a historic union?
"I will leave myself as a satisfied customer, even though he does not take money from me."
Everything is ready for the show, Photo: AFP
A word about Del Potro retiring, perhaps as an Argentine to an Argentine?
"Enough to see the sympathy of the people of the world and how they reacted to his retirement even though it was not a big surprise because of the injuries. It hurts. We saw his exciting outburst, there is nothing more symbolic than ending his career in your country. No one will forget what he did in the US -2009.
He is a great, humble personality and an actor whose peak was at the level of the greatest.
Too bad he didn't make the most of his career without the injuries.
As an Argentine, I can say that he was a national hero. "
After Nadal's achievement in Australia, who do you think is the greatest of them all?
"It's hard to answer that question as long as they play. In the end the numbers don't lie and only after they retire can we really try and decide but it's a shame we have to do it because the three of them did amazing things. He himself did not think and should just take the hat off to him and to Federer and Djokovic. "
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