Ilana Berger (Hebrew: אילנה ברגר; born 1965) is a Mexican-born Israeli professional tennis player and Olympian.

Ilana Berger
Country (sports) Israel
ResidenceHerzliya, Israel
Born (1965-12-31) December 31, 1965 (age 58)
Mexico City, Mexico
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money$69,934
Singles
Career record145–86
Career titles0 WTA, 8 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 149 (10 August 1992)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games1R (1988)
Doubles
Career record125–62
Career titles0 WTA, 15 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 153 (25 November 1991)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open1R (1988, 1992)

Berger reached her highest individual ranking on the WTA Tour on 10 August 1992, when she became # 149 in the world. On 25 November 1991, she peaked at world number 153 in the doubles rankings.

Biography edit

Berger was born on 31 December 1965, in Mexico City, Mexico. She started playing tennis at the age of 7.

Tennis career edit

In the late 1980s, after serving for two years in the Israel Defense Forces, Berger became a professional tennis player. She won 7 singles titles in the ITF Women's Circuit.

Berger won 12 Maccabiah Games medals during her career, including gold, a few of them as a "veteran" while playing Mixed Doubles with Shlomo Glickstein.[1] At the 1989 Maccabiah Games she beat American Andrea Berger to win a gold medal in women's singles.[2]

Berger was elected as one of three best tennis players in Israel's history in the celebrations of Israel's first 50 years.

Berger was Israel's Women's National Champion for five years.

Berger competed for Israel at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Berger represented Israel in 26 meetings in the Federation Cup from 1986–92, going 19–21.[3]

In 2010 she was awarded a honorary medal by the Knesset "for her activities in tennis".[4]

Journalism career edit

At the age of 26, she decided to study literature and journalism. She worked 7 years as a sports correspondent for Haaretz. She coaches tennis privately and is a freelance sports journalist. Today she is chief editor of the internet site of the Tel Aviv University Sports Center.

ITF Finals edit

Singles Finals: 13 (8-5) edit

$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
Winner 1. 10 November 1986 Jerusalem, Israel Hard   Yvonne der Kinderen 6–2, 6–4
Winner 2. 30 March 1987 Haifa, Israel Hard   Cécille Calmette 6–2, 6–0
Runner-up 3. 6 April 1987 Arad, Israel Hard   Hester Witvoet 2–6, 1–6
Winner 4. 23 November 1987 Jerusalem, Israel Hard   Dalia Koriat 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 5. 24 October 1988 Ashkelon, Israel Hard   Debbie Spence 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 6. 23 April 1990 Ramat HaSharon, Israel Hard   Robyn Field 3–6, 6–3, 5–7
Winner 7. 13 August 1990 Chatham, United States Hard   Shannan McCarthy 6–2, 7–6(7–4)
Winner 8. 5 November 1990 Ashkelon, Israel Clay   Tzipora Obziler 6–1, 6–3
Winner 9. 12 November 1990 Ashkelon, Israel Clay   Dalia Koriat 7–5, 6–1
Runner-up 10. 22 April 1991 Ramat HaSharon, Israel Hard   Mariaan de Swardt 3–6, 6–4, 2–6
Winner 11. 5 August 1991 Ramat HaSharon, Israel Hard   Janine Humphreys 6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 12. 12 August 1991 Ashkelon, Israel Hard   Tessa Price 6–7(7–9), 7–6(7–2), 3–6
Winner 13. 19 August 1991 Ashkelon, Israel Hard   Tessa Price 6–3, 6–7(5–7), 6–4

Doubles Finals: 25 (15-10) edit

Outcome NO Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents in the final Score
Runner-up 1. 19 May 1986 Jaffa, Israel Hard   Sagit Doron   Laura Bernard
  Paulette Roux
6–2, 6–7, 2–6
Winner 2. 30 March 1987 Arad, Israel Hard   Yael Shavit   Titia Wilmink
  Hester Witvoet
6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 3. 11 May 1987 Lee-on-Solent, United Kingdom Clay   Titia Wilmink   Valda Lake
  Andrea Tiezzi
3–6, 2–6
Winner 4. 17 August 1987 Manhasset, United States Clay   Jane Thomas   Brenda Schultz-McCarthy
  Marianne van der Torre
6–4, 6–1
Winner 5. 23 November 1987 Jerusalem, Israel Hard   Rafeket Benjamini   Jana Koran
  Stefanie Rehmke
6–2, 6–1
Runner-up 6. 7 March 1988 Haifa, Israel Hard   Yael Segal   Anne Aallonen
  Lena Sandin
1–6, 5–7
Winner 7. 8 August 1988 Koksijde, Belgium Clay   Anat Varon   Renata Kochta
  Hagit Ohayon
6–2, 1–6, 6–2
Runner-up 8. 15 August 1988 Rebecq, Belgium Clay   Anat Varon   Elena Brioukhovets
  Viktoria Milvidskaia
2–6, 2–6
Winner 9. 24 October 1988 Ashkelon, Israel Hard   Hagit Ohayon   Medi Dadoch
  Yael Segal
7–5, 6–0
Winner 10. 31 October 1988 Haifa, Israel Hard   Hagit Ohayon   Robyn Field
  Lesley O'Halloran
6–3, 6–1
Winner 11. 7 November 1988 Jaffa, Israel Hard   Hagit Ohayon   Colette Sely
  Themis Zambrzycki
6–3, 6–4
Winner 12. 15 May 1989 Jaffa, Israel Hard   María José Llorca   Anne Aallonen
  Luciana Tella
6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 13. 30 July 1990 Roanoke, United States Hard   Limor Zaltz   Dalia Koriat
  Medi Dadoch
6–2, 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 14. 6 August 1990 Lebanon, United States Hard   Limor Zaltz   Kathy Foxworth
  Vincenza Procacci
4–6, 1–4 RET.
Runner-up 15. 22 October 1990 Lyss, Switzerland Clay   Rona Mayer   Sabine Lohmann
  Claire Wegink
1–6, 5–7
Winner 16. 5 November 1990 Ashkelon, Israel Clay   Limor Zaltz   Daniella Blanke
  Yael Shavit
6–2, 6–1
Winner 17. 12 November 1990 Ashkelon, Israel Clay   Limor Zaltz   Dalia Koriat
  Medi Dadoch
4–6, 6–1, 6–1
Winner 18. 22 April 1991 Ramat HaSharon, Israel Hard   Julie Salmon   Anne Aallonen
  Simone Schilder
6–4, 6–4
Winner 19. 5 August 1991 Ramat HaSharon, Israel Hard   Robyn Field   Janine Humphreys
  Elizma Nortje
6–0, 6–1
Winner 20. 12 August 1991 Ashkelon, Israel Hard   Robyn Field   Kirsten Dreyer
  Tessa Price
w/o
Runner-up 21. 19 August 1991 Jerusalem, Israel Hard   Robyn Field   Barbara Griffiths
  Jane Wood
3–6, 7–6, 1–6
Runner-up 22. 2 September 1991 Arzachena, Italy Hard   Louise Pleming   Nanne Dahlman
  Jana Pospíšilová
6–3, 3–6, 1–6
Winner 23. 11 November 1991 Swindon, United Kingdom Carpet   Tessa Price   Els Callens
  Michèle Strebel
6–2, 7–5
Winner 24. 25 May 1992 Ashkelon, Israel Hard   Petra Kamstra   Michelle Anderson
  Limor Zaltz
6–2, 2–6, 6–4
Runner-up 25. 10 October 1994 Burgdorf, Switzerland Carpet (i)   Tzipora Obziler   Lenka Cenková
  Adriana Gerši
6–4, 3–6, 4–6

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Maccabiah Games Andrea Berger Wins Gold, Silver In Tennis Competition".
  2. ^ "Maccabiah Games Andrea Berger Wins Gold, Silver in Tennis Competition".
  3. ^ "Fed Cup - Page Not Found". www.fedcup.com. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  4. ^ הכנסת העניקה עיטורי כבוד לוותיקי הספורט

External links edit