# Ilana Berger

Ilana Berger (Hebrew: אילנה ברגר; born 1965) is a Mexican-born Israeli former professional tennis player and Olympian.
Berger reached her highest individual ranking on the WTA Tour on 10 August 1992, when she became # 149 in the world. On 25 November 1991, she peaked at world number 153 in the doubles rankings.

## Biography

Berger was born on 31 December 1965, in Mexico City, Mexico. She started playing tennis at the age of 7.

## Tennis career

In the late 1980s, after serving for two years in the Israel Defense Forces, Berger became a professional tennis player. She won 7 singles titles in the ITF Women's Circuit.
Berger won 12 Maccabiah Games medals during her career, including gold, a few of them as a "veteran" while playing Mixed Doubles with Shlomo Glickstein. At the 1989 Maccabiah Games she beat American Andrea Berger to win a gold medal in women's singles.
Berger was elected as one of three best tennis players in Israel's history in the celebrations of Israel's first 50 years.
Berger was Israel's Women's National Champion for five years.
Berger competed for Israel at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
Berger represented Israel in 26 meetings in the Federation Cup from 1986–92, going 19–21.
In 2010 she was awarded a honorary medal by the Knesset "for her activities in tennis".

## Journalism career

At the age of 26, she decided to study literature and journalism. She worked 7 years as a sports correspondent for Haaretz. She coaches tennis privately and is a freelance sports journalist. Today she is chief editor of the internet site of the Tel Aviv University Sports Center.

## ITF Finals
### Singles Finals: 13 (8-5)

* $100,000 tournaments
* $75,000 tournaments
* $50,000 tournaments
* $25,000 tournaments
* $10,000 tournaments
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Win | 1. | 10 November 1986 | Jerusalem, Israel | Hard | Yvonne der Kinderen | 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 2. | 30 March 1987 | Haifa, Israel | Hard | Cécille Calmette | 6–2, 6–0 |
| Loss | 3. | 6 April 1987 | Arad, Israel | Hard | Hester Witvoet | 2–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 4. | 23 November 1987 | Jerusalem, Israel | Hard | Dalia Koriat | 6–3, 6–2 |
| Loss | 5. | 24 October 1988 | Ashkelon, Israel | Hard | Debbie Spence | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 6. | 23 April 1990 | Ramat HaSharon, Israel | Hard | Robyn Field | 3–6, 6–3, 5–7 |
| Win | 7. | 13 August 1990 | Chatham, United States | Hard | Shannan McCarthy | 6–2, 7–6$^{(7–4)}$ |
| Win | 8. | 5 November 1990 | Ashkelon, Israel | Clay | Tzipora Obziler | 6–1, 6–3 |
| Win | 9. | 12 November 1990 | Ashkelon, Israel | Clay | Dalia Koriat | 7–5, 6–1 |
| Loss | 10. | 22 April 1991 | Ramat HaSharon, Israel | Hard | Mariaan de Swardt | 3–6, 6–4, 2–6 |
| Win | 11. | 5 August 1991 | Ramat HaSharon, Israel | Hard | Janine Humphreys | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Loss | 12. | 12 August 1991 | Ashkelon, Israel | Hard | Tessa Price | 6–7$^{(7–9)}$, 7–6$^{(7–2)}$, 3–6 |
| Win | 13. | 19 August 1991 | Ashkelon, Israel | Hard | Tessa Price | 6–3, 6–7$^{(5–7)}$, 6–4 |

### Doubles Finals: 25 (15-10)

| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Loss | 1. | 19 May 1986 | Jaffa, Israel | Hard | Sagit Doron | Laura Bernard Paulette Roux | 6–2, 6–7, 2–6 |
| Win | 2. | 30 March 1987 | Arad, Israel | Hard | Yael Shavit | Titia Wilmink Hester Witvoet | 6–3, 6–2 |
| Loss | 3. | 11 May 1987 | Lee-on-Solent, United Kingdom | Clay | Titia Wilmink | Valda Lake Andrea Tiezzi | 3–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 4. | 17 August 1987 | Manhasset, United States | Clay | Jane Thomas | Brenda Schultz-McCarthy Marianne van der Torre | 6–4, 6–1 |
| Win | 5. | 23 November 1987 | Jerusalem, Israel | Hard | Rafeket Benjamini | Jana Koran Stefanie Rehmke | 6–2, 6–1 |
| Loss | 6. | 7 March 1988 | Haifa, Israel | Hard | Yael Segal | Anne Aallonen Lena Sandin | 1–6, 5–7 |
| Win | 7. | 8 August 1988 | Koksijde, Belgium | Clay | Anat Varon | Renata Kochta Hagit Ohayon | 6–2, 1–6, 6–2 |
| Loss | 8. | 15 August 1988 | Rebecq, Belgium | Clay | Anat Varon | Elena Brioukhovets Viktoria Milvidskaia | 2–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 9. | 24 October 1988 | Ashkelon, Israel | Hard | Hagit Ohayon | Medi Dadoch Yael Segal | 7–5, 6–0 |
| Win | 10. | 31 October 1988 | Haifa, Israel | Hard | Hagit Ohayon | Robyn Field Lesley O'Halloran | 6–3, 6–1 |
| Win | 11. | 7 November 1988 | Jaffa, Israel | Hard | Hagit Ohayon | Colette Sely Themis Zambrzycki | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 12. | 15 May 1989 | Jaffa, Israel | Hard | María José Llorca | Anne Aallonen Luciana Tella | 6–3, 6–2 |
| Loss | 13. | 30 July 1990 | Roanoke, United States | Hard | Limor Zaltz | Dalia Koriat Medi Dadoch | 6–2, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 14. | 6 August 1990 | Lebanon, United States | Hard | Limor Zaltz | Kathy Foxworth Vincenza Procacci | 4–6, 1–4 RET. |
| Loss | 15. | 22 October 1990 | Lyss, Switzerland | Clay | Rona Mayer | Sabine Lohmann Claire Wegink | 1–6, 5–7 |
| Win | 16. | 5 November 1990 | Ashkelon, Israel | Clay | Limor Zaltz | Daniella Blanke Yael Shavit | 6–2, 6–1 |
| Win | 17. | 12 November 1990 | Ashkelon, Israel | Clay | Limor Zaltz | Dalia Koriat Medi Dadoch | 4–6, 6–1, 6–1 |
| Win | 18. | 22 April 1991 | Ramat HaSharon, Israel | Hard | Julie Salmon | Anne Aallonen Simone Schilder | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 19. | 5 August 1991 | Ramat HaSharon, Israel | Hard | Robyn Field | Janine Humphreys Elizma Nortje | 6–0, 6–1 |
| Win | 20. | 12 August 1991 | Ashkelon, Israel | Hard | Robyn Field | Kirsten Dreyer Tessa Price | w/o |
| Loss | 21. | 19 August 1991 | Jerusalem, Israel | Hard | Robyn Field | Barbara Griffiths Jane Wood | 3–6, 7–6, 1–6 |
| Loss | 22. | 2 September 1991 | Arzachena, Italy | Hard | Louise Pleming | Nanne Dahlman Jana Pospíšilová | 6–3, 3–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 23. | 11 November 1991 | Swindon, United Kingdom | Carpet | Tessa Price | Els Callens Michèle Strebel | 6–2, 7–5 |
| Win | 24. | 25 May 1992 | Ashkelon, Israel | Hard | Petra Kamstra | Michelle Anderson Limor Zaltz | 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 |
| Loss | 25. | 10 October 1994 | Burgdorf, Switzerland | Carpet (i) | Tzipora Obziler | Lenka Cenková Adriana Gerši | 6–4, 3–6, 4–6 |