Tennis: Israel's Weintraub targeting first ATP Challenger title

The 29-year-old Israeli, ranked No. 376 in the world, is already guaranteed to rise around 100 places in the rankings after beating Jordan Thompson (211) of Australia 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals.

By ALLON SINAI
Israeli tennis player Amir Weintraub (photo credit: NIR KEIDAR/ISRAEL TENNIS ASSOCIATION)
Israeli tennis player Amir Weintraub
(photo credit: NIR KEIDAR/ISRAEL TENNIS ASSOCIATION)
Amir Weintraub looks to win his first title on the ATP Challenger Tour on Sunday when he faces Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk in the final in Nanchang, China.
The 29-year-old Israeli, ranked No. 376 in the world, is already guaranteed to rise around 100 places in the rankings after beating Jordan Thompson (211) of Australia 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals on Saturday.
Weintraub will be playing in his fourth career final on the Challenger circuit, his first since May 2012. Gojowczyk (170) defeated Thomas Fabbiano (186) 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 in their semi on Saturday.
Weintraub dropped as low as No. 625 in the world at the start of May after struggling in his return from a lengthy injury absence. However, he will return to the top 300 for the first time in almost a year on Monday regardless of Sunday’s result in Nanchang.
In other tennis news, brothers Jamie and Andy Murray claimed a tense four-hour doubles rubber against Australian pair Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Groth on Saturday to put Britain on the verge of a first Davis Cup final since 1978.
The Scottish pairing kept their vociferous home supporters on the edge of their seats at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena before triumphing 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, (6-8), 6-4.
Andy Murray won the opening singles on Friday 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 against Thanasi Kokkinakis and plays Australian No.1 Bernard Tomic on Sunday’s deciding day.
Tomic, who beat Dan Evans on Friday to square the tie, lies 20 places below Murray in the world rankings.
Reuters contributed to this report.