01In brief
The 2007 Davis Cup World Group play-off between Israel and Chile was a tennis tie held in September 2007 at the Tennis Center in Ramat HaSharon, Israel, which Israel won 3–2 to secure promotion to the Davis Cup World Group. The deciding fifth rubber came on 23 September, when Dudi Sela defeated Fernando González—then ranked sixth in the world—in five sets before the home crowd. The result returned Israel to the World Group after more than a decade. Sela won both of his singles matches, against González and Nicolás Massú.
02Background
The Davis Cup is an international team tennis competition organized into zones, with zone champions playing one another for the right to enter the finals.[6] In 2007, Israel needed to defeat Chile in a World Group play-off to return to the competition's top tier.[1] Chile was regarded as the clear favourite and fielded Fernando González, then world No. 6, and Nicolás Massú.[5][2][7]
03Course of Events
Played over three days at the Tennis Center in Ramat HaSharon, the tie drew a highly supportive Israeli crowd whose encouragement was later credited as a significant factor in the result.[1][7] Chile arrived expecting a comfortable victory, but the contest reached a fifth and deciding rubber.[2][1]
Dudi Sela was Israel's standout performer, defeating both Fernando González and Nicolás Massú in singles.[5] In the deciding match on 23 September 2007, Sela overcame González in five sets in an intense contest before the Ramat HaSharon crowd.[2][1] González's ranking of world No. 6 made the upset especially notable; Sela was an established ATP player but remained outside the global elite.[1]
Israel won the tie 3–2.[3][1] The broader Israeli group credited with the 2007 World Group campaign included Sela, doubles specialists Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich, Harel Levy, and Noam Okun.[5]
04Aftermath
The victory was immediately celebrated as a historic achievement. People approached Sela in the street to hug and congratulate him in the days that followed.[4] Sources variously described the return as Israel's first World Group appearance since 1994 and as its first advancement in 14 years.[3][4] The promotion was also described as the culmination of four consecutive Israeli victories.[3]
Israel was then drawn to face Sweden at Ramat HaSharon in the first round of the 2008 World Group. Sela said Israel had a realistic chance of reaching the quarterfinals for the second time in its history and emphasized the team's strength at home.[4]
The result preceded a sustained period at the top level. Israel competed in the World Group in four of the next seven years and reached the 2009 semifinals, where it lost to eventual champion Spain.[3]
05Historiography
Later sports retrospectives treated the deciding match as a landmark in Israeli tennis. A ynet retrospective called it one of the unforgettable Davis Cup matches played in Israel and highlighted Sela's five difficult, dramatic sets against González.[2] In 2018, Sport5 ranked Sela's victory 65th in its list of 70 great moments in Israeli sport, emphasizing the deciding fifth rubber, González's ranking, and the crowd's role.[1]
Sources
- 1Sport5, Larger Than Life, accessed on September 25, 2026.
- 2Ynet, Not Even Close: Tennis in Israel at Its Lowest Point | User Content, accessed on September 25, 2026.
- 3The Jerusalem Post, Sinai says: Israeli men’s tennis is teetering on the edge of the abyss, accessed on September 25, 2026.
- 4The Jerusalem Post, From obscurity to national hero, accessed on September 25, 2026.
- 5Ynet, Upward Bound Only: Israel's Tennis Players Open 2008, accessed on September 25, 2026.
- 6Encyclopaedia Britannica, accessed on September 25, 2026.
- 7Globes, Far From Unusual Behavior: On the Crowd Saga at the Federation, accessed on September 25, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
What was the 2007 Davis Cup World Group play-off between Israel and Chile?
The 2007 Davis Cup World Group play-off between Israel and Chile was a tennis tie held in September 2007 at the Tennis Center in Ramat HaSharon, Israel. Israel won the tie 3–2, securing promotion to the Davis Cup World Group and returning to the competition's top tier after more than a decade.
Why was Chile considered the favourite going into the tie against Israel?
Chile was regarded as the clear favourite because it fielded Fernando González, then ranked sixth in the world, alongside Nicolás Massú. Chile arrived at Ramat HaSharon expecting a comfortable victory.
How did Dudi Sela perform in the 2007 Davis Cup play-off against Chile?
Dudi Sela was Israel's standout performer, winning both of his singles matches — against Fernando González and Nicolás Massú. His most notable effort came in the deciding fifth rubber on 23 September 2007, when he defeated González, then world No. 6, in five sets before the home crowd at Ramat HaSharon.
Which Israeli players were part of the 2007 Davis Cup World Group campaign?
The Israeli team in the 2007 World Group campaign included Dudi Sela, doubles specialists Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich, Harel Levy, and Noam Okun.
What happened to Israel in the Davis Cup after winning promotion from the 2007 play-off?
After winning promotion, Israel was drawn to face Sweden at Ramat HaSharon in the first round of the 2008 World Group. Israel went on to compete in the World Group in four of the next seven years and reached the 2009 semifinals, where it lost to eventual champion Spain.
How has the deciding match against González been remembered in Israeli sports history?
Later sports retrospectives treated the deciding match as a landmark in Israeli tennis. In 2018, Sport5 ranked Sela's victory 65th in its list of 70 great moments in Israeli sport, emphasizing the deciding fifth rubber, González's ranking, and the crowd's role. A ynet retrospective also called it one of the unforgettable Davis Cup matches played in Israel.