Back in time: Israeli tennis stars for generations remember the great days Israel today

Amos Mansdorff: "

"I can talk for two hours about this tournament. I know it from its first year when I used to collect balls, until the last one in 1996. I have many good memories from there. There was a special atmosphere here. I am happy that a tournament of this magnitude is returning to Israel. Of course, now it is It will be much bigger than it used to be - in terms of the conditions, the production. This is good for everyone who loves tennis in Israel.

I participated for the first time in 1981.

Over time it has already become a matter of routine to play in Israel in front of many spectators.

It was not a one-time thing like today, where there is only a Davis Cup here and there.

I was used to playing this tournament every year, in addition to the Davis matches which were quite a few.

I remember the weekend I played in the semi-finals against Jimmy Connors and in the other half Bert Gilbert and Peter Lundgren played (1987, Mansdorf defeated Connors and went on to win the tournament, Czech), and the stadium was completely full. Shlomo Glickstein's final against Harold Solomon in -1980, even then it was unusually full.

It is difficult to compare the previous tournament with the one that will be held now, tennis has moved forward in all respects.

The events that used to be here were great for that time and I am sure that the upcoming event will be beautiful as well.

Suddenly seeing the great tennis players on the court and not on TV, is much more powerful and powerful.

At the Tel Aviv Fair Center, which will host the tournament, it is possible to hold a fantastic event. In terms of location, accessibility, conditions for games inside a hall. It is impossible to understand how happy I am that this tournament is coming here, I got goosebumps when I heard about it. I am sure that many players will come here are good".

Mansdorf, photo: The Tennis Association

Shlomo Glickstein: "The

"I remember that the first competition in Ramat Hasharon in 1978, which was not yet ATP but Challenger, was also my first and significant competition, I reached the semi-finals. It gave me a very big shot of encouragement.

When I reached the final in 1980 against Harold Solomon (in the semis he beat the former number one, Ilya Nesta, Czech), I had an amazing experience because the stadium was packed to the brim, I think there were 6,000-7,000 people inside.

At one point Solomon stopped playing claiming he could not continue because of the noise.

It took me out of the momentum, because from that moment he controlled the game and went on to win.

It bothered me less because I was led and encouraged, but this stop was decisive in the end.

In my opinion, it was one of the few matches where such a number of spectators entered the court (contains about 4,500 seats, check). Today it will be difficult to fill it like then, and I hope that this tournament and Davis will put our tennis back on the map."

Glickstein, Photo: The Judo Association

Shahar Perkis: "The late

"I was surprised to hear that the tournament is returning to Israel, mainly for the reason - it was moved from Russia because of the war with Ukraine. The competition owners were looking for another place for the tournament and found it here. In my opinion, without the war it would not have returned to Israel. It will probably be a one-time event and not permanent. But luckily it happened , this is a big thing for Israeli tennis, which is not at its peak.

I remember that the eighties were the golden age with me, with Amos Mansdorff, with Shlomo Glickstein and Gilad Blum.

For a decade many Israelis were represented in all the major competitions in the world.

Ian Fruman, director of the Tennis Center in Israel initiated the establishment of the tournament in Israel.

It was an experience, as a young man and an actor, we expected and were very excited about it.

We knew it would be year after year, bring in the best players - Jimmy Connors, Aaron Krickstein, Brett Gilbert and others - people don't remember those names anymore.

It was very empowering.

Perkis, photo: Sa'ar Ya'akov/L.A.M

I remember the birthdays they gave us, that Krixtin won the tournament at the age of 16 (the youngest to date to win an ATP tournament, Czech) and a year later I reached the final against him and he won again, and in 1987 me and Gilad Blum won the doubles and Amos the singles tournament. There was a celebration , that evening there was a big party at the Hilton Hotel in Tel Aviv. Jimmy Connors, for example, was taken by helicopter to the Dead Sea, Pinina Rosenblum arrived, and many other celebrities.

When I played against Krykstein, the late Yitzhak Rabin came to see us. Once upon a time there were no television broadcasts like today, once the national consciousness was simpler than today. Tennis was at its peak then, everything came together."

Perkis today.

Faced with Krikstein, photo: Private

Gilad Bloom: "

"Of course I was happy when I heard that there would be an ATP tournament in Israel, the Israeli public deserves to enjoy professional tennis at a high level. The tournament in Ramat Hasharon at the time was one of the reasons I became a professional, I started as a boy collecting balls in the tournament and at the age of 16 I got a free ticket to the main draw. I played in the tournament 13 years in a row, that was the tournament My favorite, five minutes from home.

It's a shame for me personally that the tournament won't be at the tennis center in Ramat Hasharon because that's where I grew up, but the main thing is that it will be.

What is important is that the young players and the local audience will be exposed to the atmosphere of the ATP, this can give motivation to the younger generation, and of course also an opportunity for the young players to get a free ticket and accumulate valuable ranking points, as well as the opportunity to play in front of a local and supportive crowd.

The legendary Riklis tournament (which became the Eisenberg tournament) would bring top players regularly, in the era of Shlomo, Shahar, Amos and Shali.

We would fill the stadium every year and with the help of the home crowd we won a lot and qualified for the later stages regularly.

Bloom, photo: Zvika Israeli/L.A.M

During the eighties and early nineties we reached the finals of the singles tournament and 1987 was the most special year - Amos took the singles tournament and Shahar and I won the doubles tournament, as far as I can remember this is the only time Israelis won the ATP singles and doubles tournament.

I personally remember some big games from the tournament.

In 1985 I got a free ticket and beat Glickstein in the "Canada" stadium in the first round, it was his first loss to another Israeli player after nine years.

I was a match point behind in that game, and I literally "stole" Glicki that game.

It was a sensation, a defining game in my career.

In 1989 at the age of 22 I qualified for my first career final match against the legendary Jimmy Connors and also won the first set but Connors won the match in what was his 109th and last ATP tournament win, earning me a mention in his autobiography.

It was an unforgettable match, a once in a lifetime experience, a final match on the ground where I grew up, in a packed stadium against my childhood idol.

Three years after that loss in the final, I played against Connors again in the same stadium in the second round and I finally managed to beat him (Connors also beat me in the second round of the US Championship in 1988) in a three-hour marathon."

Bloom today, photo: Private

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