SYDNEY, Australia (JTA) — Israeli tennis star Dudi Sela’s run at the Australian Open came to an end with a third-round defeat.
Sela fell in four sets Saturday to last year’s runner-up, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. It was the first time Sela, 23, had ever reached the third round of a Grand Slam tournament.
Sela said his five-match winning streak, including three in the qualifiers, was a learning experience.
“I take a lot of confidence from this tournament,” Sela told JTA. “I learned a lot from this week. I hope to continue the same way, to play solid every week.”
Sela, at No. 106 the lowest-ranked player left in the tournament, takes home $33,000. He had defeated two top 50 players. The last Israeli to reach the last 32 at a Grand Slam was Amos Mansdorf in 1994.
In other matches involving Israelis, Andy Ram failed in his bid to defend his Australian doubles title, losing Thursday in the second round. Ram is still alive in the mixed doubles, playing alongside France’s Natalie Dechy.
On the women’s side, Shahar Pe’er was knocked out of the doubles and the mixed doubles.
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