Originally appeared in In Jewish News Syndicate in www.jns.org, February 5, 2026

Home crowd and spirited doubles win highlight Israel’s return to the tournament after a two-and-a-half-year absence.

(Feb. 8, 2026 / JNS) Israel lost 3–1 to Lithuania in a two-day Davis Cup World Group I tie in Netanya over the weekend, despite a spirited effort and strong support from an enthusiastic home crowd at the Netanya Arena.

The Davis Cup returned to Israel for the first time in two-and-a-half years, drawing nearly 2,500 flag-waving fans who packed the arena, pounding drums and cheering on Israel’s five-man squad. While hopeful, supporters were also realistic. The disparity in world rankings proved too great for Israel to overcome.

Israel’s highest-ranked player, Amit Vales, entered the tie at No. 873 in the world, with the remaining four ranked around 1200. Lithuania’s two players who competed were ranked No. 129 (Vilius Gaubas) and No. 277 (Edas Butvilas).

Now in its 126th year, the Davis Cup is the world’s largest annual international team competition, with a record 160 nations participating in 2026. This weekend alone, 78 teams competed across 39 countries.

The event officially opened Thursday with a draw ceremony and media conference at the Vert Lagoon Netanya Hotel. Israel Tennis Association President Avi Perets welcomed the delegations, while International Tennis Federation representative Alex Hughes noted the tournament’s global reach. Netanya Mayor Avi Slama spoke of sport’s unifying power, saying it can help “bring peace in the world.”

Friday’s matches began with a formal ceremony, as ball kids and officials led both teams onto the court. National anthems were played, and chair umpires from countries including Spain and England officiated the matches in both English and Hebrew.

In Friday’s opening singles match, Amit Vales faced Edas Butvilas in their first-ever meeting. Vales rallied after trailing early, forcing a tiebreak, but lost the first set 7–6 (7–3) before Butvilas closed out the match with a dominant 6–0 second set.

In the second match, Ofek Shimanov played Vilius Gaubas, who took the first set 6–0 in just 23 minutes. Shimanov improved in the second set but Gaubas prevailed 6–4. “I started really slow—I felt a bit of pressure,” Shimanov said.

Lithuania led 2–0 after Friday. On Saturday, Lithuania reshuffled its doubles lineup, pairing Gaubas and Butvilas in an effort to clinch the tie early. Israel countered with doubles specialist Daniel Cukierman alongside Shimanov.

After falling behind early, the Israelis mounted a dramatic comeback, winning their first set of the weekend 7–6 in an 11–9 tiebreaker before closing out the match 6–3. The victory narrowed Lithuania’s lead to 2–1.

Cukierman praised the crowd and urged fans to stay for the decisive fourth match, which would determine whether the tie extended to a fifth rubber.

In that match, Vales faced Gaubas. After dropping the first set 6–1, Vales battled back to take the second set 6–3. In the deciding set, however, Gaubas regained control and sealed the match 6–2, despite Vales taking a medical timeout for a forearm issue.

Gaubas later acknowledged the challenge of playing in a loud arena filled with drums and chants.

With the win, Lithuania advances to World Group I play in September, with the chance to reach the Qualifiers. Israel will compete in Davis Cup Group II later this year.

Members of the Lithuanian team said they enjoyed their stay in Netanya, particularly its seaside location. While practice schedules limited sightseeing, the Israel Tennis Association (ITF) arranged tours of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for members of the delegation.

Lithuanian captain Laurynas Grigelis, who previously competed in Israel, said he hopes to return. Assistant coach Tadas Babelis praised the organization, hospitality and food, adding that the team had no security concerns. An ITF official summed up the visit by saying, “Israel is not what you see on TV.”

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