Shahar Pe'er facts for kids
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Pe'er at the 2015 Wimbledon Qualifying
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| Native name | שחר פאר |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Israel |
| Residence | Macabim, Israel |
| Born | 1 May 1987 Jerusalem, Israel |
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Turned pro | 2004 |
| Retired | 28 February 2017 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $5,148,411 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 412–276 |
| Career titles | 5 |
| Highest ranking | No. 11 (31 January 2011) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (2007) |
| French Open | 4R (2006, 2007, 2010) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (2008) |
| US Open | QF (2007) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | Alt (2010) |
| Olympic Games | 2R (2008) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 189–175 |
| Career titles | 3 |
| Highest ranking | No. 14 (12 May 2008) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | F (2008) |
| French Open | QF (2008) |
| Wimbledon | QF (2005, 2008) |
| US Open | 3R (2007, 2010) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | 1R (2008) |
Shahar Pe'er (born May 1, 1987) is a retired Israeli tennis player. She is known for being one of Israel's most successful female tennis players.
Shahar won five singles titles and three doubles titles on the WTA Tour. She also won four singles and three doubles titles on the ITF circuit. In January 2011, she reached her highest singles ranking of world number 11. This was the highest ranking ever for an Israeli tennis player. She also reached number 14 in doubles in May 2008.
Pe'er reached the quarterfinals of two major tournaments, called Grand Slams, in singles. She also played in the doubles final of the 2008 Australian Open with Victoria Azarenka. She won her first national tennis title in Israel when she was just 14. At 16, she won the Junior Girls' Australian Open title. Shahar also played for the Israeli Fed Cup team and represented Israel in two Olympic Games.
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Early Life and Background
Shahar Pe'er was born in Jerusalem, Israel. Her family moved to Maccabim, Israel, when she was one year old. She started playing tennis at age six, joining her brother Shlomi and sister Shani for lessons.
When Shahar was 19, she joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as a soldier. When she wasn't traveling for tennis tournaments, she worked as an administrative secretary for the IDF in the mornings. In the afternoons, she practiced tennis.
Tennis Career Highlights
Starting Out in Tennis
Shahar began playing tennis in competitions at age six. Her first tournament win was in doubles at the Eddie Herr International tournament when she was 12. She also reached the singles final there.
In 2001, Pe'er won the Nike Junior Tour International Masters tournament. She also became the youngest Israeli to win the Israeli women's tennis championship. She won her age group at the Junior Orange Bowl as well.
Her first big win came at the 2004 Australian Open, where she won the Juniors' Championship. She beat Nicole Vaidišová in the final. This made her the first Israeli woman to win a junior Grand Slam title since 1990.
Junior Grand Slam Results
- Australian Open – Won (2004)
- French Open – Quarterfinals (2003, 2004)
- Wimbledon – Quarterfinals (2004)
- US Open – Semifinals (2004)
Becoming a Professional Player
Shahar Pe'er became a professional tennis player in 2004. In 2005, she played in the main part of a Grand Slam event for the first time. She reached the third round at both the French Open and the US Open. Pe'er ended 2005 ranked No. 45 in the world.
Rising Through the Ranks (2006–2007)
In 2006, Shahar won her first three WTA singles titles in Pattaya, Prague, and Istanbul. She finished the year ranked 20th in the world.
At the 2007 Australian Open, Pe'er made history. She became the first Israeli woman to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event. She beat world No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round. However, she lost in the quarterfinals to Serena Williams, who went on to win the tournament.
In March 2007, she reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells. The next month, she made it to her first major tournament semifinals at the Miami Masters. She lost both times to Serena Williams. Pe'er finished 2007 ranked 17th in the world.
2008 Season
At the 2008 Australian Open, Pe'er reached the third round in singles. In the doubles tournament, she and her partner Victoria Azarenka made it to the final. They lost to the Bondarenko sisters. This was Shahar's first Grand Slam doubles final.
In February, Pe'er became the first Israeli to play in a WTA Tour event in the Arabian Peninsula. This happened when she reached the third round of the Qatar Total Open in Doha.
At Wimbledon, Pe'er reached the fourth round. She lost to Elena Dementieva. In the third round, she had a very long match against Dinara Safina, which lasted over three hours. This was one of the longest women's singles matches in Wimbledon history.
Shahar represented Israel at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She lost in the second round. She finished 2008 ranked World No. 38.
2009 Season
Pe'er started 2009 by reaching the quarterfinals of the ASB Classic. She then helped Israel in the 2009 Fed Cup, winning both her singles matches.
She reached the semifinals at the Pattaya Women's Open. At the 2009 BNP Paribas Open, she made it to the quarterfinals. In doubles, she and Gisela Dulko reached the finals.
Pe'er had to miss the 2009 French Open due to a leg injury. However, she ended a three-year period without a tournament win in September. She won the 2009 Guangzhou International Women's Open in China without losing a single set. The next week, she also won the 2009 Tashkent Open, again without dropping a set. These wins boosted her world ranking to No. 34. She finished 2009 ranked No. 30.
Strong Performance in 2010
Shahar had a great start to 2010. She reached the semifinals of the ASB Classic and the finals of the Moorilla Hobart International. At the 2010 Australian Open, she reached the third round. Her ranking moved up to world No. 22.
She continued her success at the 2010 Dubai Tennis Championships, reaching the semifinals. She beat world No. 3 Caroline Wozniacki along the way. This success moved her ranking back into the top twenty.
Pe'er reached the semifinals of the 2010 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. She beat several top players, including world No. 3 Dinara Safina. She often lost to the player who eventually won the tournament.
At the 2010 Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open, Pe'er upset the 2009 French Open Champion, Svetlana Kuznetsova. She then reached the semifinals.
Pe'er was seeded 18th at the 2010 French Open. She reached the fourth round before losing to world No. 1 Serena Williams. Because of her strong performance, Pe'er reached a new career-high ranking of world No. 14. This was the highest ranking ever for an Israeli tennis player.
She reached the fourth round of the US Open. She lost to Venus Williams for the fourth time that season. Due to her great success, Pe'er qualified as an alternate for the 2010 WTA Tour Championships.
2011 and Later Years
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In January 2011, Pe'er's ranking rose to No. 11, her highest career ranking. This happened after some other top players left the rankings. In March, she reached the quarterfinals of the 2011 BNP Paribas Open. She won three tough matches that went to three sets.
Later in 2011, Pe'er had a challenging period, losing several matches in a row. She was the top seed at the 2011 Citi Open in College Park, Maryland. She reached the final but lost to Nadia Petrova.
In 2012, Pe'er reached the semifinals of the Moorilla Hobart International. At the 2012 Qatar Total Open, she upset eighth seed Jelena Janković in the second round.
Challenges in Dubai
In February 2009, Shahar Pe'er was not allowed to play at the 2009 Dubai Tennis Championships. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) denied her a visa because they did not have diplomatic relations with Israel at that time.
Many players, including Venus Williams, spoke out against this decision. Andy Roddick, who won the men's singles in 2008, chose not to play in the tournament to protest. The Tennis Channel also decided not to show the event. The WTA, which runs women's tennis, said they would review future tournaments in Dubai.
The tournament director said Pe'er was refused because her presence might cause anger in the country. This was after she had faced protests at another tournament due to the conflict in Israel.
After these protests, Pe'er was given a visa to play in Dubai in 2010. However, she had very strict rules to follow. She was not allowed to mix with other players off the court. She had to use a separate gym and was guarded when traveling from her hotel to the court. This was a very stressful time for her. Other players praised her for staying calm and playing well under such pressure. Venus Williams said, "I can't imagine playing so well with these kinds of circumstances. She's courageous."
Playing Style
Shahar Pe'er started her career with a "counter-puncher" style. This means she would wait for her opponent to make a mistake. By 2010, she had changed to a more attacking style of play.
Her forehand shot was strong, especially against players who hit with a lot of spin. Her backhand, which she hit with two hands, was one of the best on the women's tour. It was very consistent and she could hit it to different parts of the court. She often used an "inside-out" shot with her backhand to win points.
She improved her serve over time, making it more effective. Shahar was also good at playing at the net. During matches, she would sometimes turn her back to the court between points, close her eyes, and try to clear her mind.
After Retirement
Shahar Pe'er retired from professional tennis in February 2017. Her last match was a year before that. A long-term shoulder injury limited her ability to play for two and a half years. This, along with losing her desire to be a professional tennis player, led her to retire.
In 2018, Pe'er married Dr. Eilon Ram. They had a son in 2019 and a daughter in 2021. In 2021, she appeared on the Israeli TV show The Singer in the Mask, which is like The Masked Singer. She was the Parrot and was the first contestant to be eliminated.
Images for kids
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Pe'er at the 2006 US Open
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Pe'er in 2014
See also
In Spanish: Shahar Pe'er para niños
