Zhe Li of China wins the second Joyce Eisenberg Futures Tournament
On 12th May 2012, Zhe Li of China won the second $10,000 Joyce Eisenberg Furtures tournament at the ITC – Ramat Hasharon. The competition is played in honor of Joyce Eisenberg, one of the ITC’s most prominent donors over the years. This was the second of three Futures tournaments organized. The first was played at the Marjorie Sherman Israel Tennis Center – Ashkelon and the third is being held at the ITC – Ramat Hasharon.
For more information, schedule of play, draws and live scores, please click here!
Li, seeded 2nd in the tournament, beat his countryman Yu Chang, seeded fourth, 6-4 7-5 in the final. In the semifinal he had beaten Belgian Julien Dubail 6-4 6-1 and Chang overcame Ti Chen from Teipei 4-6 6-1 6-2.
14 Israeli’s played in the first round of the main draw, with four of them making it to the second round, where they all lost. Tal Goldengoren, 16 years old, from the ITC – Ramat Hasharon beat Aviv Darmon, before losing to Brit Sean Thornley. Daniel Skripnik, also from the ITC – Ramat Hasharon, beat Canadian Antoine Richard and then lost to Marcus Daniell of New Zealand. Tal Eros beat 17 year old Eyal Cohen from the ITC – Ramat Hasharon and was then beaten by first seed Ti Chen. Finally, Dekel Bar won against David Mushayav from the ITC – Ramat Hasharon and then lost to Belgian Dubail.
In the doubes final, two coaches from the ITC – Ramat Hasharon, Noam Behr and Noam Okun, lost to Chen and Daniell, the team seeded fourth. The two Israeli’s who hadn’t lost a set all week, had to withdraw from the match after losing the first set in a tiebreak.
The two finalists
About The Israel Tennis Centers Foundation (“ITC”):
The ITC is a non-profit organization (formerly known as The Israel Children’s Centers is a 501 (c)) that works to enhance the social, psychological and physical development of Israeli children through the medium of sport. We provide a healthy and structured environment for children from all walks of life, teaching values of cooperation, persistence and tolerance. Thirty-five years after the inauguration of the first Israel Tennis Center in Ramat Hasharon, the ITC has expanded throughout Israel and has nurtured and empowered more children and adults than the original founders could have ever dreamed. Currently one of the largest social-service agencies for children in Israel, the ITC operates 14 Centers throughout Israel’s periphery within socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. The Centers are complete with cutting edge facilities and tennis courts that serve over 20,000 children. For additional background please visit: http://www.israeltenniscenters.org
