BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — Israel will not host its Davis Cup playoff match against Argentina due to the conflict in Gaza.
The International Tennis Federation announced Thursday that it was moving the Sept. 12-14 match out of Tel Aviv and the playoff will not be held in any other Israeli city.
Over the next five days Israel, as the team with the home-court advantage, must choose among four venues for the new location: New York; Delray Beach, Fla.; Krakow, Poland; or Tallinn, Estonia.
The Argentine Tennis Association requested a change in location two weeks ago due the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
“We are concerned. We have communicated with the ITF, which promises to make a decision about Davis Cup very soon,” the association’s president, Arturo Grimaldi, told reporters several days ago.
Israel is aiming to return to the World Group after a one-year absence following its 3-1 victory over Slovenia in the Europe/Africa Zone Group I, but Argentina has four players rated in the Top 100.
Argentina’s team is led by a Jewish captain, Martin Jaite, who is supporter of Argentine Jewish sports clubs.
The Israeli squad has an Argentine player, Buenos Aires native Jonathan Erlich, who made aliyah when he was 2. Erlich and Andy Ram have been the best doubles tandem in Israeli history.
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