Israel’s tennis duo eliminated from Olympic games
Arik Zeevi, the country’s top judoka, taps out of Olympic competition after 43 seconds
Aaron Kalman is a former writer and breaking news editor for the Times of Israel
Israel’s tennis duo were eliminated from the Olympics on Thursday, losing in two sets to the American Bryan brothers, a few hours after judoka Arik Zeevi was forced to tap out after only 43 seconds on the mat.
The match was interrupted by rain on Thursday afternoon, with their American opponents holding on to a 1-0 lead against Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich. After the players returned to the court the Israelis dropped the second set, 7-6.
On the court at Wimbledon, the American Bryan brothers — the world’s number one tennis duo — won the first set in a tie break 7-6, after the Israelis failed to capitalize on three set points. The second set also went to a tie break, which ended 12-10, as the Israelis double faulted out of the match.
In a stunning defeat, Israel’s top judoka was eliminated from competition in less than a minute Thursday, quashing his hopes for a second Olympic medal.
“I made a mistake and paid the price,” he told Army Radio, in tears.
Arik Zeevi managed only 43 seconds against Dimitri Peters of Germany, before signaling that he could not continue.
Zeevi was forced to tap out after Peters managed to get him in a deadlock. He walked off the mat with his head bowed and eyes filled with tears.
“I had prepared for many scenarios,” Zeevi told reporters shortly after the match ended. The way this fight unfolded “wasn’t one of them. I need to watch the replay to understand what happened.”
The four-time European champion won a bronze medal at the Athens Games in 2004, and at age 35 the 2012 Games were most likely his last major international competition. Yet he refused to announce his retirement. He was one of Israel’s few medal hopes, and said he was disappointed for himself and also “for the many fans” who stood behind him and bought tickets to see him.
While Israel’s fortunes have suffered on the mat, judoka Alice Schlesinger having also lost early in the competition, its medal hopes on the water have been buoyed by swimmer Yakov Toumarkin and windsurfer Lee Korzits.
Later on Thursday Toumarkin will swim in the finals of the 200 meter backstroke, and an additional eight Israeli athletes will take part in the games.
Gideon Kliger and Eran Sela finished their first race in 19th place. The sailors will try to climb in the standings in their next races.
