Israel Matzav

London Olympics: Israel tennis doubles team shocks '08 Gold medalists

Israelis Andy Ram and Yoni Ehrlich shocked 2008 Gold medalists Roger Federer and Stanlislas Wawrinka to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympic doubles tennis tournament in London.

Ram and Erlich were outplayed in the first set, but edged the Swiss team in a tight second set tiebreak and clinched the win thanks to a single break of serve in the third set.

It won't be getting any easier for the Israeli duo, with No. 1 seeds Bob and Mike Bryan waiting in the last eight at Wimbledon.

"This is a massive achievement," Ram said. "We were very nervous at the start, but we got our act together in the second set. It is amazing to beat Roger Federer, but I insist that this win is just another step towards the big goal."

And here's the other highlight of the day:

Yakov Toumarkin became just the second Israeli swimmer to ever reach an individual Olympic final, recording a result of 1:57.33 minutes in the 200-meter backstroke semifinals, equal to the Israeli record he set in the morning heats, to advance from eighth place overall to Thursday's final.

The 20-year-old, who became the first Israeli to win two medals in a single European Championships earlier this year, follows in the footsteps of Eitan Urbach, who ended the 100m back final in eighth place in the 2000 Sydney Games.

As much as I really haven't been following the Olympics, and I'm disgusted that there was no moment of silence, I would like nothing better than to see the Nazis and Islamists on the IOC forced to play HaTikva (our national anthem).

I wonder if they tax Gold medals here.

Labels: Hatikva, London Olympics

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:28 AM