Voice of Jewish Sport

A FEW weeks ago I wrote in this column stating how Wimbledon could be a telling point in the future career of tennis player Shahar Peer. While it’s still too early to start writing any obituaries for her on the court, it is nevertheless plain to see the crisis of confidence she’s going through. The fact she’s plummeted 157 places down the world rankings in just over two years should be a cause for alarm, and with the slump showing no signs of abating, you have to wonder how she addresses it. I would have liked to have put that question to her after Monday’s defeat, though the only thing briefer than her playing time at SW19 was the time she spent in the post-match interview room. Otherwise put, it amounted to the same amount of Israeli players who appeared in the singles competition at this year’s Championships – zilch – as she declined the requested interview. Not since 1998 has an Israeli singles player not featured in the main round of a Grand Slam tournament. If Peer’s form is alarming, the current state of Israeli tennis is equally disturbing. It seems no one has the answers – or is even prepared to talk about it.

AS THE Maccabiah Games draw ever closer, it seems the open rugby team are pulling out all the stops to try and come back with gold, having enlisted upon the services of Samoan World Cup star Elvis Seveali’i. An experienced international, who has also won the Guinness Premiership and starred in the European Heineken Cup, if the team don’t go one step further than four years ago, it won’t be for a lack of preparation. Meanwhile, the masters 35+ football team have been continuing their build-up with a tournament warm-up win against an All Stars team. Claiming a 5-4 win at the soon-to-be expanded Maccabi London Brady ground, they beat a team featuring Teddy Sheringham. “Oh Teddy Teddy, went to the All Stars and won…..”