Tzipora Obziler
ResidenceGivatayim, Israel
Birth date19 April 1973 (age 53)
Birth placeGivatayim
Height1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
TurnedproApril 1997
RetiredAugust 2009
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Careerprizemoney$595,265
Singlestitles0 WTA, 14 ITF
HighestsinglesrankingNo. 75 (9 July 2007)
Australianopenresult2R (2004, 2005)
Frenchopenresult2R (2007)
Wimbledonresult1R (2007, 2008)
Usopenresult2R (2004)
Othertournamentsyes
Olympicsresult1R (2008)
Doublestitles14 ITF
HighestdoublesrankingNo. 149 (10 April 2000)
Australianopendoublesresult1R (2008)
Frenchopendoublesresult1R (2007)
Wimbledondoublesresult1R (2007)
Othertournamentsdoublesyes
Olympicsdoublesresult1R (2008)
Native nameציפורה אובזילר

Tzipora "Tzipi" Obziler (Hebrew: ציפורה אובזילר; born 19 April 1973) is an Israeli former professional tennis player.

She reached her career-high singles world ranking of No. 75 in on 8 July 2007, and career-high doubles ranking of No. 149 on 10 April 2000.

Early and personal life

She was born in Givatayim, Israel, and is Jewish.[1]

Obziler speaks Hebrew and English.[2] After graduating from high school, she served two years in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF; the Israeli Army).[2] Obziler attended classes at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.[2]

She and her girlfriend Hadas have a daughter together.[3][4][5] Obziler took a break from professional tennis when the baby was born, and came back to play in 2008.

Tennis career

She won 14 singles and 14 doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit.[2] Despite her late run, she played her best tennis over the last few years and qualified for several Grand Slam events.

She started playing tennis at age 10, with friends.[2] In 1997, she won ITF tournaments in singles in Jaffa and Antalya. In 1998, she repeated in Jaffa. In 1999, she won in Guimaraes and Azemeis (both Portugal), and two tournaments in Istanbul, Turkey. In 2000, she won tournaments in Ashkelon and Beersheba in Israel.[2]

In 2002, she won in Mumbai, India, and Nonthaburi, Thailand. In November, she defeated world No. 62, Emmanuelle Gagliardi of Switzerland, in France. In 2003 in India, she had an upset win over world No. 36, Elena Likhovtseva of Russia, in straight sets.[2]

In 2004, she played world No. 1, Justine Henin-Hardenne, in the US Open, winning a set but losing in the second round. In 2005, she won both the singles and doubles (with Shahar Pe'er) titles in Raanana, Israel. She also upset world No. 47, Émilie Loit of France, in the Australian Open in two sets.[2]

In 2006, she managed to get further than round two of a WTA Tour event in her first events of the year at Auckland and at Guangzhou in late September. At the Auckland Open, she reached the quarterfinals with two good wins over Jamea Jackson and the fifth-seeded world No. 27, Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia, before falling to Daniela Hantuchová. In Guangzhou, she reached semifinals of the tournament, along the way defeating world No. 51, Elena Vesnina of Russia, and world No. 20, Li Na of China, before falling to the fourth-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues in three sets.[2]

Other than that, she qualified for the Australian Open and various WTA Tour events, she won an ITF title in Washington, D.C., and finally an ITF doubles title in Antalya-Manavgat partnering Romina Oprandi.[2]

In 2007, she beat 56th-ranked Aiko Nakamura of Japan in the round of 16 of the Pattaya City tournament in Thailand. She also made it to the semifinals in Bangalore and Patras. In August at the US Open, she lost in the first round to world No. 86, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark. On 30 September 2007, she reached her first final on the WTA Tour, in which she lost to Virginie Razzano at the Guangzhou International Women's Open.[2]

She represented Israel at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, in both singles and (with Shahar Pe'er) doubles.[6]

On 13 August 2009, Obziler convened a press conference to announce her retirement from professional tennis.[7]

Federation Cup

Obziler was 48–30 in Federation Cup matches for the Israel Fed Cup team between 1994 and 2007, including wins in 12 of her most recent 13 matches.[8] Obziler was part of Israel's Federation Cup team that won 10 ties in a row to reach the competition's quarterfinals in 2008 – Israel's greatest Federation Cup achievement in history. Obziler is second ever in the amount of ties played, at 61. She shares the record with compatriot Anna Smashnova.[9]

WTA career finals

Singles: 1 (runner-up)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments
Tier I
Tier II
Tier III
Tier IV & V (0–1)
ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss0–1Sep 2007Guangzhou International Open, ChinaHardVirginie Razzano0–6, 3–6

ITF Circuit finals

Singles (14–11)

$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1.5 November 1990Ashkelon, IsraelClayIlana Berger1–6, 3–6
Loss2.14 September 1992Haifa, IsraelHardYael Segal3–6, 2–6
Loss3.29 August 1994Haifa, IsraelHardHila Rosen1–6, 5–7
Loss4.5 June 1995Haifa, IsraelHardNelly Barkan2–6, 2–6
Win5.24 February 1997Jaffa, IsraelHardNóra Köves7–5, 6–4
Win6.2 June 1997Antalya, TurkeyHardGülberk Gültekin6–0, 6–4
Loss7.17 November 1997Jaffa, IsraelHardAnna Smashnova3–6, 2–6
Loss8.14 December 1997Ismailia, EgyptClaySelima Sfar7–5, 5–7, 4–6
Win9.16 March 1998Jaffa, IsraelHardNadejda Ostrovskaya6–3, 6–3
Loss10.1 June 1998Tashkent, UzbekistanHardPatricia Wartusch3–6, 2–6
Win11.24 May 1999Guimarães, PortugalHardPaula Hermida6–0, 6–4
Win12.30 May 1999Oliveira de Azeméis, PortugalHardRaluca Ciochină6–1, 6–1
Win13.21 June 1999Istanbul, TurkeyHardDaniela Cocos6–0, 6–2
Loss14.26 July 1999Edinburgh, United KingdomClayPetra Mandula0–6, 6–4, 5–7
Win15.8 August 1999Istanbul, TurkeyHardNadejda Ostrovskaya6–0, 7–5
Win16.30 October 2000Ashkelon, IsraelHardTetiana Luzhanska4–1, 1–3, 4–1, 4–1
Win17.20 November 2000Beersheba, IsraelHardYevgenia Savransky4–1, 4–0, 2–4, 4–0
Loss18.7 July 2002Los Gatos, United StatesHardAshley Harkleroad2–6, 2–6
Win19.24 November 2002Mumbai, IndiaHardAdriana Barna6–2, 6–2
Win20.1 December 2002Nonthaburi, ThailandHardIvana Abramović6–4, 6–4
Loss21.6 April 2004Dinan, FranceClay (i)Timea Bacsinszky2–6, 1–6
Win22.30 May 2005Ra'anana, IsraelHardMargalita Chakhnashvili6–0, 6–2
Loss23.5 December 2005Ra'anana, IsraelHardMargalita Chakhnashvili3–6, 5–7
Win24.1 August 2006Washington, United StatesHardCamille Pin7–5, 2–5 ret.
Win25.17 March 2008Tenerife, SpainHardCarla Suárez Navarro6–2, 6–3

Doubles (14–13)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.17 May 1993Tortosa, SpainClayLimor ZaltzMaria Inés Araiz
María Fernanda Landa
6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Loss2.31 May 1993Cáceres, SpainHardLimor ZaltzEleni Rossides
Heidi Sprung
6–0, 2–6, 2–6
Loss3.9 August 1993College Park,
United States
HardLimor ZaltzSusan Gilchrist
Vickie Paynter
2–6, 3–6
Loss4.22 August 1993Haifa, IsraelHardNataly CahanaShiri Burstein
Hila Rosen
0–6, 4–6
Loss5.29 August 1993Haifa, IsraelHardNataly CahanaShiri Burstein
Hila Rosen
5–7, 5–7
Loss6.10 October 1994Burgdorf, SwitzerlandCarpet (i)Ilana BergerLenka Cenková
Adriana Gerši
6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Loss7.11 March 1996Tel Aviv, IsraelHardLimor GabaiShiri Burstein
Hila Rosen
3–6, 6–7(2)
Loss8.20 April 1997Bari, ItalyClayAnna SmashnovaSandra Načuk
Dragana Zarić
4–6, 2–6
Loss9.17 November 1997Jaffa, IsraelHardAnna SmashnovaNataly Cahana
Maaike Koutstaal
2–6, 1–6
Loss10.3 May 1999Beersheba, IsraelHardNataly CahanaNadejda Ostrovskaya
Tatiana Poutchek
1–6, 4–6
Win11.24 May 1999Guimarães, PortugalHardKelly LigganSabina Da Ponte
Giana Gutiérrez
6–3, 6–1
Win12.31 May 1999Azeméis, PortugalHardKelly LigganMariana Mesa
Jorgelina Torti
6–4, 4–6, 7–6(6)
Win13.19 July 1999Dublin, IrelandCarpetSurina De BeerHannah Collin
Tina Hergold
7–5, 4–6, 6–2
Win14.1 November 1999Jaffa, IsraelHardHila RosenKristie Boogert
Michelle Gerards
6–4, 1–6, 6–4
Loss15.14 February 2000Midland, United StatesHard (i)Surina De BeerNannie de Villiers
Rika Hiraki
1–6, 6–1, 1–6
Win16.27 March 2000Norcross, United StatesHardJulia AbeJessica Steck
Lindsay Lee-Waters
5–7, 7–6(7), 6–4
Win17.19 May 2002Tel Aviv, IsraelHardHila RosenLauren Breadmore
Natalie Neri
4–6, 6–3, 6–2
Win18.1 December 2002Mumbai, IndiaHardKatarina MišićShelley Stephens
Scarlett Werner
6–3, 4–6, 7–5
Win19.8 November 2004Ramat HaSharon, IsraelHardDanielle SteinbergPemra Özgen
Gabriela Velasco Andreu
7–5, 6–3
Win20.21 November 2004Deauville, FranceClayVirág NémethVanessa Henke
Květa Peschke
6–4, 6–1
Win21.5 December 2004Ra'anana, IsraelHardShahar Pe'erBahia Mouhtassine
İpek Şenoğlu
6–3, 6–0
Win22.30 May 2005Ra'anana, IsraelHardShahar Pe'erDaniela Klemenschits
Sandra Klemenschits
7–6(2), 1–6, 6–2
Win23.7 May 2006Antalya, TurkeyClayRomina OprandiMatea Mezak
İpek Şenoğlu
4–6, 6–4, 6–0
Loss24.18 November 2006Deauville, FranceClay (i)Silvia DisderiYuliya Beygelzimer
Yuliana Fedak
5–7, 4–6
Win25.19 March 2007Ra'anana, IsraelHardEvgenia LinetskayaMartina Babáková
Veronica Spiegel
6–1, 6–2
Loss26.17 March 2008Tenerife, SpainHardMervana Jugić-SalkićJulie Coin
Violette Huck
4–6, 3–6
Win27.31 March 2008Patras, GreeceClayAnastasiya YakimovaMaría José Martínez Sánchez
Arantxa Parra Santonja
7–5, 6–1

See also

References

  1. ^ "Jews in the Olympics: 63 Athletes, 7 Countries". Jewishinstlouis.org. Archived from the original on 7 April 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  2. ^ "Tzipora Obziler | Player Stats & More – WTA Official". Women's Tennis Association
  3. ^ "Tzipora Obziler". Archived from the original on 10 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  4. ^ "Tzipora Obziler cuelga la raqueta... pero la descolgará para jugar en Fed Cup - MARCA.com". www.marca.com
  5. ^ "WTA News". Women's Tennis Association. 30 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Tzipora Obziler Bio, Stats, and Results | Olympics at Sports-Reference.com". 18 April 2020. Archived 2020-04-18 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ^ Hipsh, Rami (13 August 2009). "Tennis / Dudi Sela stumbles, Andy Ram advances, Obziler set to retire". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 15 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  8. ^ "Fed Cup - Player profile - Tzipi OBZILER (ISR)". Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  9. ^ "Billie Jean King Cup- Statistics". Archived 2020-09-28 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-04-26.