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23-528: Canada Stadium, seating 4,500 spectators, opened in 1977 on land in Ramat Hasharon that had been an old strawberry patch, which was given to the Israel Tennis Centers (ITC) by the government. It was part of an ITC project that included the opening of 13 other tennis centres in the country. After the opening, floodlights were added to the court, so that play could continue into the night. The stadium

46-576: A Wimbledon title, as Andy Ram won the 2006 Wimbledon Mixed Doubles title. He had learned his tennis at the ITC's Jerusalem Tennis Center, and Yoni Erlich , his men's doubles partner, had learned his tennis at the Haifa Tennis Center. "I can only find words of esteem for the Israel Tennis Center for their support and help", Ram said after his success. In 2007, Issy Kramer, Honorary President of

69-447: A career-high ranking of No. 15. In 1991 the ATP donated $ 5,000 to the ITC, and Argentine tennis player Martín Jaite , who is Jewish, donated $ 3,000. In 1995, Israeli former Davis Cup player and national champion Gilad Bloom , who was world champion in the under-12 age group, became senior coach role with the ITC. Thirty years after the centers were begun, in 2006 the first ITC product won

92-575: A time when tennis in Israel was a sport played primarily by tourists as beach hotels, Dr. Ian Froman , Freddie Krivine, Joseph D. Shane, Harold Landesberg, Rubin Josephs, and Dr. William H. Lippy began fundraising efforts to launch tennis as a sport in Israel and to build a National Tennis Center on an old strawberry patch in Ramat HaSharon given to the ITC by the government. On April 25, 1976, Leah Rabin cut

115-543: A variety of disabilities. The ITC has to date produced the following top-30 players: Andy Ram (career-high doubles ranking of No. 5); Yoni Erlich (doubles ranking of No. 5); Shahar Pe'er (doubles ranking of No. 14 and singles ranking of No. 11); Anna Smashnova (singles ranking of No. 15); Amos Mansdorf (singles ranking of No. 18); Shlomo Glickstein (singles ranking of No. 22 in 1982; No. 28 in doubles); Dudi Sela (singles ranking of No. 29 in 2009), and Harel Levy (singles ranking of No. 30 in 2001). In 1974, at

138-452: Is a Soviet-born Israeli former tennis player. She retired from professional tour after Wimbledon 2007. Smashnova reached her career-high singles ranking of world No. 15 in 2003. She reached 13 finals, and won 12 of them. In addition, she won a junior Grand Slam title, the 1991 French Open girls' singles championship. Smashnova, born in Minsk , is of Russian-Jewish descent. Her father Sasha

161-562: Is an engineer, and her mother is Zina. She has a brother, Yura, who is a software analyst. Smashnova graduated from American International High School outside Tel Aviv in 1995. She completed her service in the Israel Defense Forces in 1997. Her family immigrated to Israel in September 1990, after Freddy Krivine, one of the founders of the Israel Tennis Centers , invited her to immigrate. Smashnova began playing tennis when she

184-428: Is the "main court" of the tennis centre at Ramat Hasharon, which is the biggest in the country. A large number of up-and-coming Israeli tennis professionals regularly train at the centre, as well as some top-quality players. In Ramat Hasharon, Israel's first tennis stadium was built with money raised by Canadians Joe Frieberg, Ralph Albert, Harold Green and others, and named Canada Stadium in their honour. Canada Stadium

207-527: Is the development of coaches (such as Oded Yaakov), and building and maintaining courts and facilities at the highest levels. The ITC is the physical home of the Israel Children's Centers, Israel's largest social service agency for children. The Israel Children's Centers serve 10,000 children every week through a variety of programs that address development and social needs, including coexistence programs for Arab and Jewish children and customized programs for

230-457: Is the largest social service agency for children in Israel, serving more than a half million children and their families since its first center opened in Ramat Hasharon in 1976. With 16 centers across Israel, primarily in underprivileged communities, the not-for-profit Centers use tennis to promote the social, physical, and psychological well being of their students (through other programs such as their Life Skills program). Another of its goals

253-728: The 2003 Sopot Open in Poland, beating Klára Koukalová in the finals in straight sets. Smashnova eliminated Karolina Šprem in the Nordic Light Open semifinal in Helsinki and defeated Jelena Kostanić in the final. At the Pilot Pen Tennis in New Haven, she posted wins against Anastasia Myskina and Vera Zvonareva . In October 2003, she defeated then world No. 13 Nadia Petrova in Moscow. She

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276-745: The Auckland Open and top-seeded Tamarine Tanasugarn at the Canberra Classic . In March 2002, she upset world No. 13, Meghann Shaughnessy , at Indian Wells . In April, she defeated world No. 7, Justine Henin in Miami, and world No. 9, Jelena Dokić in Charleston . In May at the German Open , she upset world No. 3, Kim Clijsters, and world No. 14, Daniela Hantuchová , both in three sets. On 16 June 2002, Smashnova defeated defending champion Iroda Tulyaganova at

299-572: The Austrian Open . In August, she beat world No. 13, Elena Dementieva , in San Diego. In September 2002, she beat Anna Kournikova in the finals of the Shanghai Open. According to The New York Times , Smashnova "was precise and controlled throughout the match, hitting perfect winners in stride... Kournikova didn't score a point until the third game of the first set when Smashnova hit a shot wide. 'She

322-624: The Tashkent Open . She won her second career title in 2000, winning the Sanex Trophy in Belgium. Smashnova defeated Anna Kournikova in straight sets in her semifinal match, and went on to win the final against top seed Dominique Van Roost . She had a breakthrough in 2002, winning four titles and beating 11 players ranked in the top 20, including Jelena Dokić , Justine Henin , and Kim Clijsters . In January 2002, Smashnova defeated Tatiana Panova at

345-621: The Israel Water Polo Association (IWPA), indicated that he would like to replicate what the ITC has achieved, by building centers throughout Israel, particularly in poorer neighborhoods and development towns. "Swimming, like tennis, should not have to be an elitist sport", he said. 32°07′50″N 34°50′20″E  /  32.130605°N 34.838955°E  / 32.130605; 34.838955 Anna Smashnova Anna Aleksandrovna Smashnova ( Hebrew : אנה סמשנובה , Russian : Анна Александровна Смашнова ; born July 16, 1976)

368-495: The children, were funded without any government assistance. By 2008, about 350,000 Jewish, Christian, and Moslem Israeli children had gone through the seven complexes funded by the ITC, and 1951 Wimbledon champion Dick Savitt was overseeing the coaching techniques. Anna Smashnova moved to Israel with her family in 1990, aged 15, and trained at the ITC; the next year she won the French Open girls title, and in 2002 she reached

391-653: The final of the Forest Hills Tennis Classic women's event to Meghann Shaughnessy. In March 2007, Smashnova announced on Israeli radio that she would retire from professional tennis after Wimbledon . As it turned out, she lost in the first round to German Martina Müller by the "double bagel" scoreline, 0–6, 0–6. She was on the Israeli Fed Cup team from 1992-2005. Smashnova holds the record for most ties played in Fed Cup competition – 61. Her win–loss record

414-566: The ribbon to the Center, and 250 children signed up to participate. Canadian pioneers of the Centers included Joseph Frieberg, Gerry Goldberg, Ralph Halbert, and Harold Green. Their fundraising efforts laid the financial foundation for Canada Stadium , where the Davis Cup and Fed Cup were hosted in Israel until 2009, and the construction and maintenance of the centers, as well as provision of equipment to

437-644: Was inaugurated as part of the first Israel Tennis Center in 1979. On December 20, 2007, it was announced that the capacity of the stadium would increase to around 9,000, by 2012. It is estimated that the total cost of the project will be around $ 4 million. Also, a roof will be installed over the court, so that play will be able to continue in the event of rain. As of April 2022, these plans have not yet materialised. 32°07′49″N 34°50′25″E  /  32.130232°N 34.840243°E  / 32.130232; 34.840243 Israel Tennis Centers Israel Tennis Centers ("ITC"; Hebrew : המרכז לטניס בישראל)

460-484: Was like a wall today, hitting everything back', Kournikova said." In October, she beat world No. 13, Chanda Rubin , in Zurich. She played in the 2002 WTA Tour Championships , and lost in the first round to world No. 1, Serena Williams . On December 7, 2002, Anna married Claudio Pistolesi , her former coach (whom she later divorced), and played for a period of time as Anna Pistolesi and Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi. She won

483-565: Was named Tennis Magazine/ Rolex Watch Female Rookie of the Year in 1994. At the 1994 French Open she upset world No. 5, Jana Novotná , 6–4, 6–2. At the US Open in that year, she upset world No. 14, Lori McNeil , in straight sets. She reached the fourth round of the French Open in 1995 and 1998. At the 1996 Australian Open , she defeated world No. 15, Natasha Zvereva , in three sets. She won her first top-level WTA Tour singles title in 1999 at

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506-643: Was on the Israeli Olympic Team in 2004. At the 2005 Australian Open , Smashnova defeated María Sánchez Lorenzo in the first round and Tamarine Tanasugarn in the second. She lost to Venus Williams (seeded eighth) in the third round. In July 2006, Smashnova won her 12th tour title at Budapest, maintaining a 100% winning record in WTA Tour finals – a record she held alone for players who had won double-digit titles. This streak ended in August 2006, when she lost in

529-651: Was six. She became the No. 1 junior in the Soviet Union at the age of ten. She was the number one junior in the Soviet Union from age ten until she moved to Israel at age 14. She won the girls' Soviet Union youth championship in 1989 at the age of 14. After immigrating to Israel at age 15, Smashnova trained at the Israel Tennis Centers. In 1991, she won the girls' singles title at the French Open at age 14. Smashnova

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