Tzipora Obziler
Quick Facts
Biography
Tzipora "Tzipi" Obziler (Hebrew: ציפורה אובזילר) (born April 19, 1973) is a former Israeli professional right-handed tennis player.
She reached her career-high singles world ranking of No. 75 in on July 8, 2007, and career-high doubles ranking of No. 149 on April 10, 2000.
In Federation Cup she is a shared world record holder for most ties played, at 61.
Early and personal life
She was born in Givatayim, Israel, and is Jewish.
Obziler speaks Hebrew and English. After graduating from high school, she served two years in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF; the Israeli Army).Obziler is a computer BA graduate from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
She and her girlfriend Hadas have a daughter together. Obziler took a break from professional tennis when the baby was born, and came back to play in 2008.
Tennis career
She won 13 singles and 13 doubles titles on the ITF circuit.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.In 1997 she won ITF tournaments in singles in Jaffa and Antalya. In 1998 she repeated in Jaffa. In 1999 she won in Guimaraes, Portugal, and Azemeis, Portugal, and two tournaments in Istanbul, Turkey.In 2000, she won tournaments in Ashkelon and Beersheba in Israel.
In 2002, she won in Mumbai, India, and Nonthaburi, Thailand.In November she defeated world # 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.
In 2004, she played world # 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.
In 2006, she managed to get further than the 2nd-round of a WTA event in her first event of the year at Auckland and at Guangzhou in late September.In Auckland, she reached the quarterfinals with two good wins over Jamea Jackson and the 5th-seeded world No. 27 Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia, before falling to Daniela Hantuchová.In Guangzhou, she reached the 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 4th-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues in three sets.
Other than that, she qualified for the Australian Open and various WTA tour events, she won an ITF title in Washington, DC, and finally an ITF doubles title in Antalya-Manavgat partnering Romina Oprandi.
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 September 30, 2007, she reached her first final on the WTA Tour, in which she lost to Virginie Razzano at the Guangzhou International Women's Open.
She represented Israel at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, in both singles and (with Shahar Pe'er) doubles.
On August 13, 2009, Obziler convened a press conference to announce her retirement from professional tennis.
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.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 currently holds the world record for most Federation Cup Ties Played, at 61. She shares the record with compatriot Anna Smashnova.
WTA career finals
Singles: 1 (0–1)
Legend: Before 2009 | Legend: Starting in 2009 |
---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments (0/0) | |
WTA Championships (0/0) | |
Tier I (0/0) | Premier Mandatory (0/0) |
Tier II (0/0) | Premier 5 (0/0) |
Tier III (0/0) | Premier (0/0) |
Tier IV & V (0/0) | International (0/1) |
Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1. | Sep 2007 | Guangzhou International Women's Open, Guangzhou, China | Hard | Virginie Razzano | 0–6, 3–6 |
ITF Singles Circuit finals: 25 (14–11)
$100,000 tournaments |
$75,000 tournaments |
$50,000 tournaments |
$25,000 tournaments |
$10,000 tournaments |
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
Runner-up | 1. | 5 November 1990 | Ashkelon, Israel | Clay | Ilana Berger | 1–6, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 2. | 14 September 1992 | Haifa, Israel | Hard | Yael Segal | 3–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 3. | 29 August 1994 | Haifa, Israel | Hard | Hila Rosen | 1–6, 5–7 |
Runner-up | 4. | 5 June 1995 | Haifa, Israel | Hard | Nelly Barkan | 2–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 5. | 24 February 1997 | Jaffa, Israel | Hard | Nóra Köves | 7–5, 6–4 |
Winner | 6. | 2 June 1997 | Antalya, Turkey | Hard | Gülberk Gültekin | 6–0, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 7. | 17 November 1997 | Jaffa, Israel | Hard | Anna Smashnova | 3–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 8. | 14 December 1997 | Ismailia, Egypt | Clay | Selima Sfar | 7–5, 5–7, 4–6 |
Winner | 9. | 16 March 1998 | Jaffa, Israel | Hard | Nadejda Ostrovskaya | 6–3, 6–3 |
Runner-up | 10. | 1 June 1998 | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Hard | Patricia Wartusch | 3–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 11. | 24 May 1999 | Guimarães, Portugal | Hard | Paula Hermida | 6–0, 6–4 |
Winner | 12. | 30 May 1999 | Oliveira de Azeméis, Portugal | Hard | Raluca Ciochină | 6–1, 6–1 |
Winner | 13. | 21 June 1999 | İstanbul, Turkey | Hard | Daniela Cocos | 6–0, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 14. | 26 July 1999 | Edinburgh, United Kingdom | Clay | Petra Mandula | 0–6, 6–4, 5–7 |
Winner | 15. | 8 August 1999 | İstanbul, Turkey | Hard | Nadejda Ostrovskaya | 6–0, 7–5 |
Winner | 16. | 30 October 2000 | Ashkelon, Israel | Hard | Tetiana Luzhanska | 4–1, 1–3, 4–1, 4–1 |
Winner | 17. | 20 November 2000 | Beersheba, Israel | Hard | Yevgenia Savransky | 4–1, 4–0, 2–4, 4–0 |
Runner-up | 18. | 7 July 2002 | Los Gatos, United States | Hard | Ashley Harkleroad | 2–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 19. | 24 November 2002 | Mumbai, India | Hard | Adriana Barna | 6–2, 6–2 |
Winner | 20. | 1 December 2002 | Nonthaburi, Thailand | Hard | Ivana Abramović | 6–4, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 21. | 6 April 2004 | Dinan, France | Clay (i) | Timea Bacsinszky | 2–6, 1–6 |
Winner | 22. | 30 May 2005 | Ra'anana, Israel | Hard | Margalita Chakhnashvili | 6–0, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 23. | 5 December 2005 | Ra'anana, Israel | Hard | Margalita Chakhnashvili | 3–6, 5–7 |
Winner | 24. | 1 August 2006 | Washington, United States | Hard | Camille Pin | 7–5, 2–5 ret. |
Winner | 25. | 17 March 2008 | Tenerife, Spain | Hard | Carla Suárez Navarro | 6–2, 6–3 |
ITF Doubles Circuit finals: 27 (14–13)
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents in the final | Score in the final |
Runner-up | 1. | 17 May 1993 | Tortosa, Spain | Clay | Limor Zaltz | Maria Inés Araiz María Fernanda Landa | 6–4, 3–6, 4–6 |
Runner-up | 2. | 31 May 1993 | Cáceres, Spain | Hard | Limor Zaltz | Eleni Rossides Heidi Sprung | 6–0, 2–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 3. | 9 August 1993 | College Park, United States | Hard | Limor Zaltz | Susan Gilchrist Vickie Paynter | 2–6, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 4. | 22 August 1993 | Haifa, Israel | Hard | Nataly Cahana | Shiri Burstein Hila Rosen | 0–6, 4–6 |
Runner-up | 5. | 29 August 1993 | Haifa, Israel | Hard | Nataly Cahana | Shiri Burstein Hila Rosen | 5–7, 5–7 |
Runner–up | 6. | 10 October 1994 | Burgdorf, Switzerland | Carpet (i) | Ilana Berger | Lenka Cenková Adriana Gerši | 6–4, 3–6, 4–6 |
Runner–up | 7. | 11 March 1996 | Tel Aviv, Israel | Hard | Limor Gabai | Shiri Burstein Hila Rosen | 3–6, 6–7 |
Runner–up | 8. | 20 April 1997 | Bari, Italy | Clay | Anna Smashnova | Sandra Načuk Dragana Zarić | 4–6, 2–6 |
Runner–up | 9. | 17 November 1997 | Jaffa, Israel | Hard | Anna Smashnova | Nataly Cahana Maaike Koutstaal | 2–6, 1–6 |
Runner–up | 10. | 3 May 1999 | Beersheba, Israel | Hard | Nataly Cahana | Nadejda Ostrovskaya Tatiana Poutchek | 1–6, 4–6 |
Winner | 11. | 24 May 1999 | Guimarães, Portugal | Hard | Kelly Liggan | Sabina da Ponte Giana Gutiérrez | 6–3, 6–1 |
Winner | 12. | 31 May 1999 | Azeméis, Portugal | Hard | Kelly Liggan | Mariana Mesa Jorgelina Torti | 6–4, 4–6, 7–6 |
Winner | 13. | 19 July 1999 | Dublin, Ireland | Carpet | Surina De Beer | Hannah Collin Tina Hergold | 7–5, 4–6, 6–2 |
Winner | 14. | 1 November 1999 | Jaffa, Israel | Hard | Hila Rosen | Kristie Boogert Michelle Gerards | 6–4, 1–6, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 15. | 14 February 2000 | Midland, United States | Hard (i) | Surina De Beer | Nannie de Villiers Rika Hiraki | 1–6, 6–1, 1–6 |
Winner | 16. | 27 March 2000 | Norcross, United States | Hard | Julia Abe | Jessica Steck Lindsay Lee-Waters | 5–7, 7–6, 6–4 |
Winner | 17. | 19 May 2002 | Tel Aviv, Israel | Hard | Hila Rosen | Lauren Breadmore Natalie Neri | 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
Winner | 18. | 1 December 2002 | Mumbai, India | Hard | Katarina Mišić | Shelley Stephens Scarlett Werner | 6–3, 4–6, 7–5 |
Winner | 19. | 8 November 2004 | Ramat HaSharon, Israel | Hard | Danielle Steinberg | Pemra Özgen Gabriela Velasco Andreu | 7–5, 6–3 |
Winner | 20. | 21 November 2004 | Deauville, France | Clay | Virág Németh | Vanessa Henke Květa Peschke | 6–4, 6–1 |
Winner | 21. | 5 December 2004 | Ra'anana, Israel | Hard | Shahar Pe'er | Bahia Mouhtassine İpek Şenoğlu | 6–3, 6–0 |
Winner | 22. | 30 May 2005 | Ra'anana, Israel | Hard | Shahar Pe'er | Daniela Klemenschits Sandra Klemenschits | 7–6, 1–6, 6–2 |
Winner | 23. | 7 May 2006 | Antalya, Turkey | Clay | Romina Oprandi | Matea Mezak İpek Şenoğlu | 4–6, 6–4, 6–0 |
Runner-up | 24. | 18 November 2006 | Deauville, France | Clay (i) | Silvia Disderi | Yuliya Beygelzimer Yuliana Fedak | 5–7, 4–6 |
Winner | 25. | 19 March 2007 | Ra'anana, Israel | Hard | Evgenia Linetskaya | Martina Babáková Veronica Spiegel | 6–1, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 26. | 17 March 2008 | Tenerife, Spain | Hard | Mervana Jugić-Salkić | Julie Coin Violette Huck | 4–6, 3–6 |
Winner | 27. | 31 March 2008 | Patras, Greece | Clay | Anastasiya Yakimova | María José Martínez Sánchez Arantxa Parra Santonja | 7–5, 6–1 |