Tennis in the time of war is unpredictable: Obziler

Kolkata, Sep 18 (UNI) For Israel's Tziopora Obziler its one game at a time as future is always unpredictable because of the war that robbed her country of its first ever WTA tournament scheduled to be held in August.

After winning her first match of the Sunfeast Open against Ukraine's Yulia Beygelzimer 6-2, 6-3, Obziller said, ''We were supposed to have the country's first ever WTA event in August. But it got cancelled as the authorities could not risk the war.'' Israel's month long war with Hizbollah guerrillas took its toll on the country's sports with UEFA suspending football games in the country and WTA taking away the event.

The ban was imposed early last month, forcing all Israeli home fixtures under UEFA's jurisdiction to be played at other venues in European countries. But off late the ban has been lifted.

However, it was too late for the WTA authorities to give a go ahead for the event. Nearly 1,200 people were killed in Lebanon and more than 150 Israelis were killed in the 34-day conflict which was sparked after Hizbollah abducted two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12. Fighting ended in a ceasefire on August 14.

Obziler, who served two years in Israeli army, started her professional career at 29. At 33 she says, ''I have had four years of tennis. And now I am looking forward to each match. Not even each tournament. The year did not begin well for me. At least the last month was good and I hope to end it on a high.'' ''It's just that I started late, like old wine, if you may please,'' she said smiling, when asked why she began so late in her career.

Asked whether sports have been affected in Israel, she replies, ''Not in the way the media portrays it. But to a certain extent, yes. The players have moved from north to the centre of the country.

But the facilities were as such not affected by the war. As such there was no bombing and stuff.'' She was also sad that the next year's Fed Cup will be outside Israel. However, she has a fit body and a focus that she hopes will carry her on. This is her fourth visit to India and the 33-year-old feels that the tournament is one of the best in this part of the continent.

Her match against the Ukranian was a cakewalk though. She went 4-0 ahead in the fist set before Yulia won two games in a row.

However, Obziler stemmed the rot by breaking her back in the seventh game and then sealing the set on her serve. In the second set, Yulia went 3-0 ahead, before Obziler restored parity and went on to finish the match taking six games in a row.

The amazing array of ground strokes she displayed and the fitness, which she obviously earned from her cadet days showed.

UNI BA PM KN1706