Yishai Oliel
| Country (sports) |
 Israel |
|---|---|
| Residence | Ramla, Israel |
| Born |
5 January 2000 Ramla, Israel |
| Plays | Left-handed (double-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | US$ 1,422 |
| Singles | |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 912 (24 october 2016)[1] |
| Current ranking | No. 912 |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Australian Open Junior | 1R (2016) |
| French Open Junior | 2R (2016) |
| Wimbledon Junior | Q1 (2016) |
| US Open Junior | 3R (2016) |
| Doubles | |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Australian Open Junior | 1R (2016) |
| French Open Junior | W (2016) |
| Wimbledon Junior | 2R (2015) |
| US Open Junior | SF (2016) |
Medal record
| |
| Last updated on: 8 September 2016. | |
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Yishai Oliel (Hebrew: ישי עוליאל; born January 5, 2000) is an Israeli junior tennis player.
Oliel is a two-time Junior Orange Bowl champion, having won in 2012 and 2014. He also, with Patrik Rikl, won the 2016 French Open Boys' Doubles title.
Early and personal life
Oliel is originally from Ramla, Israel, and is left-handed.[2] His parents, Avraham and Floret Oliel, are Jews who are originally from Morocco.[3][4] He is the youngest of their five children.[5] As a teenager he grew long, shoulder-length hair. But because his sister told him it was getting to be too much and that it was time "to be a man", he cut his hair and donated it to children undergoing cancer treatment.[6][7]
Tennis career
Oliel started playing tennis at the age of 5.[3]
Oliel won the Junior Orange Bowl in the 12-and-under singles category in 2012, while he was in 7th grade.[8][9] He returned at 13 years of age, ranked first in the tournament, to win the 2014 Junior Orange Bowl in the 14-and-under singles category.[10] That made him one of only nine tennis players to win the Junior Orange Bowl championship twice in its 70-year history, which list includes Andy Murray, Jimmy Connors, Jennifer Capriati, and Monica Seles.[11][12][2][4][10]
As a 15-year-old in 2015, Oliel was ranked # 48 among players 18-and-younger.[2]
He, at age 16, and Patrik Rikl of the Czech Republic won the 2016 French Open Boys' Doubles title, defeating Chung Yun-seong and Orlando Luz in the final 6–3, 6–4.[13] Oliel said: "It helped that there were hundreds of Israelis and members of the Jewish community that came along to Roland Garros to cheer me along. I feel very proud to be out there representing Israel."[13] He became the fourth Israeli to win a junior grand slam title, joining Dudi Sela (who won the same title in 2003), Anna Smashnova, and Shahar Peer, all of whom went on to become top-30 players.[13][14]
At the 2016 Junior Boys’ singles tournament at the US Open at age 16, after beating # 2 seed Alex De Minaur of Australia in the second round 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (2), he lost to # 13 seed Nicola Kuhn of Spain.[15][5] At the 2016 Junior Boys’ doubles tournament at the US Open, Oliel and Zizou Bergs of Belgium made it to the semi-finals, where they lost to ultimate champions Juan Carlos Aguilar and Felipe Meligeni 4-6, 7-6 (1), 10-2.[16][17]
As a 16-year-old in September 2016, Oliel was ranked # 39 among players 18-and-younger.[15]
Playing style
Oliel has been noted for his grace, timing, and tenacity.[4] He has a forehand with a good deal of spin, a stable two-handed backhand, a good volley with excellent touch, and he moves well on the court and reads situations well.[6] Former French Open and Wimbledon women's doubles champion Angela Buxton compared his style to that of Roger Federer, noting that he does not "force or muscle the ball".[7]
Junior Grand Slam finals
Doubles: 1 title
| Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2016 | French Open | Clay |  Patrik Rikl |
 Chung Yun-seong Orlando Luz |
6–3, 6–4 |
See also
References
- ↑ "ITF Tennis - Yishai Oliel". International Tennis Federation. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- 1 2 3 Steven Braid (29 May 2016). "Israel's Top Tennis Academy is Streamlined for Success". The New York Times.
- 1 2 "PM Netanyahu Meets with World Youth Tennis Champion Yishai Oliel", Prime Minister's Office (30 December 2012)
- 1 2 3 "The Philanthropist With Wimbledon Dreams for Israeli Tennis Hopefuls". Haaretz. 24 April 2015.
- 1 2 "Oliel leads Israel's young tennis talents".
- 1 2 Alon Idan (9 September 2016). "In a Tiny Stadium in New York City, I Found Israel's Next Big Tennis Star". Haaretz.
- 1 2 "Israeli sensation reminds me of Federer, says Buxton".
- ↑ Asher Zeiger (23 December 2012). "Israeli tween wins top tennis tourney; Yishai Oliel is the new Junior Orange Bowl 'Boys 12 & Under' champion, following in the footsteps of Connors and Murray". Times of Israel.
- ↑ "Tennis: Israel's Ulliel, 12, wins Junior Orange Bowl".
- 1 2 "14-year-old Israeli wins revered junior tennis tournament". ynetnews.
- ↑ Asher Zeiger (23 December 2012). "Israeli teen wins top tennis tourney". Times of Israel.
- ↑ Oren Aharoni (23 December 2014). "14-year-old Israeli wins revered junior tennis tournament". ynetnews.com.
- 1 2 3 "Oliel wins first junior tennis grand slam title". The Jewish Chronicle.
- ↑ "Israeli Yshai Oliel wins French Open boys' doubles title with Czech partner".
- 1 2 "Israeli juniors Oliel, Krolitzky advance in style". The Jerusalem Post.
- ↑ "Oliel reaches semi-finals of Junior Doubles at US Open". The Jewish Chonicle.
- ↑ "US Open Friday Tennis Results". Tennis News. 10 September 2016.
External links
- Yshai Oliel at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- Oliel, Yshai at the International Tennis Federation Junior Profile