Israel and the Soviet Union were tied at one game apiece in their opening singles matches in the Davis Cup European Zone “A” final in Donetz, the Ukraine, yesterday. The two teams are to play their doubles match today.
In yesterday’s competition, viewed by some 1,500 spectators, including several Jews who waved greetings to the Israelis, Shlomo Glickstein, Israel’s top tennis player, beat Russia’s No. 2 ranked player, Alexander Zverev 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 5-7, 8-6.
Israel’s second ranking player, Shahar Perkis, was defeated by the Soviet Union’s No. 4 ranked player and Junior Champion Andrei Chesnokov 7-5, 6-3, 7-5. Glickstein and Perkis play again in today’s doubles match, though the Russian pair is not yet known.
According to Israel Tennis Association chairman David Hemik, who received his Russian visa only minutes before the Israelis were due to emplane from Vienna for the Ukraine, the Israelis were being very well treated in Donetz.
They had been told they could not attend Rosh Hashanah services in the Ukrainian city because there was no Jewish community there.
The Israel Tennis Association is protesting to the World Union at the Soviet refusal to grant visas to some non-playing team members and barring all Israeli sports journalists from attending the match.
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