BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — Israel lost in the Davis Cup to Argentina in a match that was moved from Tel Aviv to Florida due to the conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Israel lost 3-2 after dropping the two singles’ matches on Sunday in Sunrise, Fla. Argentina, which was favored, will go on to vie for the 2015 Davis Cup. Israel will compete next year in the Davis Cup World Group II.
A day earlier, Israel had taken a 2-1 lead with a five-set victory by its doubles team, Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich. Ram, a Uruguay native, was playing in his last professional match after announcing his retirement recently.
“The most successful double partners in the history of Israeli tennis made aliyah with their families and speak fluently in Spanish,” Erlich, who was born in Argentina, joked with a journalist from his native country, adding that he wasn’t sure which team his parents were backing.
Argentina’s Davis Cup team has two Jewish players who are active in the Jewish community: Martin Jaite, the team’s captain, and Diego Shvartzman, the youngest player on the team.
Jaite also had announced that he would retire from the team after the Israel match.
