Sports Heroes: No. 53: Tzipi Obziler

Tzipi Obziler defied all the odds last summer when, at the age of 34, she became just the third Israeli woman ever to be ranked in the top-100 players in the world.

Tzipi Obziler 298.88 (photo credit: Courtesy Photo)
Tzipi Obziler 298.88
(photo credit: Courtesy Photo)
Tzipi Obziler defied all the odds last summer when, at the age of 34, she became just the third Israeli woman ever to be ranked in the top-100 players in the world. After her career failed to take-off, Obziler retired from tennis at the end of 2000. A sensational performance in the Fed Cup against the US in 2002, however, convinced her to return to play professionally and it wouldn't be long before she reached heights she had previously never imagined possible. Obziler was ranked as high as No. 75 in the world in July of last year and also reached her first ever WTA tour final in Guangzhou, China. The veteran also played a vital role in the Fed Cup team's amazing run, which only ended last month with a defeat to defending champion Russia in the quarterfinals of the competition. Tomorrow: Israeli basketball's greatest ever defensive player.