1. Early Life and Background
Jonathan Erlich's personal journey began in Argentina before he became a prominent figure in Israeli tennis. His early life involved a significant relocation that shaped his identity and laid the foundation for his athletic pursuits.
1.1. Birth and Formative Years
Jonathan Erlich, who is Jewish, was born on 5 April 1977, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the age of one, he and his family moved to Haifa, Israel, where he grew up. He later resided in Tel Aviv. Erlich began playing tennis at the early age of three and participated in his first tournament when he was seven years old. During his childhood, he also engaged in football, but by the age of twelve, he made the decisive choice to focus on tennis as his professional path. He is known to be a fan of the football team Maccabi Haifa.
1.2. Youth Career and Development
Erlich's development in tennis included training at the prestigious Wingate Institute in Israel. It was there that he first met Andy Ram, who would later become his highly successful doubles partner. While he did not frequently participate in the ITF Junior Circuit, Erlich did compete at the 1994 Wimbledon Championships, where he reached the quarterfinals of the Boys' Doubles event. He officially turned professional in 1996 at the age of 19.
2. Professional Tennis Career
Jonathan Erlich's professional tennis career was primarily characterized by his exceptional skill and success in doubles, particularly with his long-time partner Andy Ram. He consistently competed at the highest levels of the sport, achieving significant milestones and representing his nation on the international stage.
2.1. Early Years (1996-2005)
After turning professional in 1996, Erlich's early career saw him primarily focus on doubles play. His partnership with Andy Ram officially began when they first competed together at the Queen's Club Championships in June 2001. Although primarily a doubles player, Erlich did have some notable singles victories, including a win over world No. 64 Adrian Voinea in Indianapolis in 2002 with a score of 6-2, 6-3.
The Israeli duo of Erlich and Ram achieved their first major breakthrough in 2003 by reaching the semifinals of the Wimbledon Championships. They notably defeated the strong team of Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor before falling to defending champions Jonas Björkman and Todd Woodbridge. This marked a historic moment as they were the first Israelis to advance to the semifinals of a Grand Slam event in doubles. Later that year, they secured their first ATP Tour titles, winning the Thailand Open in September and the Grand Prix de Lyon in October, where they triumphed over Julien Benneteau and Nicolas Mahut with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 score.
In 2004, Erlich extended his Grand Slam success to mixed doubles, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open with South Africa's Liezel Huber. They were eventually defeated by the pairing of Leander Paes and Martina Navratilova. Ram and Erlich continued their doubles success by winning the Lyon tournament for a second time in October 2004, defeating Jonas Björkman and Radek Štěpánek 7-6, 6-2 in the final. Their momentum continued into 2005 with a victory at the Rotterdam Open in February, where they overcame Czech players Cyril Suk and Pavel Vízner 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in the final. Unfortunately, Ram and Erlich were forced to miss the 2005 French Open due to the tragic death of Ram's father shortly before the tournament began. By the end of 2005, the duo had climbed to world No. 8 in the doubles rankings, earning them a spot as alternates at the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai.
2.2. Partnership with Andy Ram (2001-2010)
The partnership between Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram became a cornerstone of their respective careers, earning them the moniker "Andyoni" in Israel. Their collaboration led to their most significant achievements on the ATP Tour, particularly their landmark Grand Slam victory.
2.2.1. 2008 Australian Open Doubles Championship
The pinnacle of Jonathan Erlich's career came at the 2008 Australian Open, where he and Andy Ram, seeded eighth, captured their first and only Grand Slam men's doubles title. In a hard-fought final, they defeated the French pair of Arnaud Clément and Michaël Llodra in straight sets, 7-5, 7-6(7-4). This victory cemented their status as one of the top doubles teams in the world and represented a momentous achievement for Israeli tennis.
2.2.2. Other Significant Achievements with Ram
Beyond their Australian Open triumph, Erlich and Ram amassed numerous other notable victories and consistent performances. In March 2006, they claimed the Adelaide title, defeating Russians Dmitry Tursunov and Igor Kunitsyn 6-3, 6-2. They further solidified their reputation by winning the Nottingham Open, Connecticut Open, and the Thailand Open later in 2006.
A highlight of their partnership was their victory at the 2007 Cincinnati Masters in August 2007, a Masters 1000 event, where they upset the world No. 1 Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, in a thrilling final that ended 4-6, 6-3, [13-11]. They repeated their success against the Bryan brothers in November 2007 at the 2007 Tennis Masters Cup in China, winning 7-6, 2-6, 6-1. Erlich and Ram also made appearances at the ATP Masters Cup in both 2006 and 2007. At the 2007 US Open, they reached the quarterfinals, losing to the eventual champions, Simon Aspelin and Julian Knowle.
Following their Grand Slam win, Erlich experienced a period of recovery from right elbow surgery, which kept him off the tour from September 2008 to May 2009. During this time, Andy Ram partnered with other players. The duo reunited at the Israel Open ATP Challenger tournament in May 2009, reaching the final before losing to George Bastl and Chris Guccione. Despite the setback, Ram publicly committed to returning to a permanent partnership with Erlich after completing the season with his temporary partner, Max Mirnyi.
2.3. National Team Representation
Jonathan Erlich consistently demonstrated his commitment to Israeli tennis through his dedicated participation in various international team competitions, most notably the Davis Cup and the Olympic Games.
2.3.1. Davis Cup
Erlich was a long-standing member of the Israel Davis Cup team, playing in 2000 and from 2002 to 2009. By 2018, his Davis Cup doubles record stood at an impressive 22 wins and 12 losses. He was instrumental in several key victories for Israel, including their triumph over Great Britain in 2006, their wins against Luxembourg and Italy in 2007, and their significant victory over Chile in 2007, where he and Ram defeated the Olympic Gold Medalists Fernando González and Nicolás Massú. This 2007 win over Chile propelled Israel into the World Group, the top tier of Davis Cup competition, for the first time since 1994.
A particularly historic moment for the Israeli team came in July 2009, when Israel, then ranked 8th in the Davis Cup standings, hosted the heavily favored Russian team (winners in 2002 and 2006, and ranked No. 1 globally) in a World Group quarterfinal tie at the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv. The Israeli team consisted of Erlich, Ram, Dudi Sela, and Harel Levy, facing a formidable Russian lineup including Marat Safin, Igor Andreev, Igor Kunitsyn, and Mikhail Youzhny. Prior to the tie, Safin controversially remarked that "With all due respect, Israel was lucky to get to the quarterfinals."
In a stunning display of determination, the Israeli team responded by winning the first three matches, thereby clinching the tie. Harel Levy, ranked No. 210, upset Russia's top player, world No. 24 Igor Andreev. Dudi Sela followed by defeating Mikhail Youzhny. The crucial doubles match saw Erlich and Ram face Safin and Kunitsyn. In front of a boisterous crowd of over 10,500 people-the largest attendance ever for a tennis match in Israel-Erlich and Ram delivered a thrilling victory, winning 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 4-6, 6-4. Reflecting on the win, Erlich stated, "This is something I will cherish for all of my life." He added, "Everybody has dreams, but there are some you don't allow yourself to have, and beating Russia 3-0 was just like that... but we have done it." Israeli captain Eyal Ran lauded his players, comparing them to "two F-16s on court" for their amazing performance. With the tie secured, Israel ultimately won the encounter 4-1 over Russia, advancing to the Davis Cup semifinals. In 2012, Erlich also contributed to Israel's return to the World Group by defeating Japan 3-2 in a play-off match.
2.3.2. Olympic Games
Erlich represented Israel at three Olympic Games, showcasing his consistent presence on the international stage.
- 2004 Athens Olympics: Erlich and Ram competed as the eighth seeds in the men's doubles and reached the quarterfinals.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics: Representing Israel as the third seed in men's doubles, Erlich and Ram suffered an unexpected first-round loss to their French rivals, Arnaud Clément and Michaël Llodra, with a score of 4-6, 4-6.
- 2012 London Olympics: In his third Olympic appearance, Erlich partnered with Ram again. In the second round, they achieved a remarkable upset victory over the defending gold medalists, the Swiss duo of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, winning 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-3. They advanced to the quarterfinals, where they were narrowly defeated by the top-seeded Bryan brothers, 6-7(4), 6-7(10).
2.4. Later Career and Other Partnerships (2010-2021)
Following his most active period with Andy Ram, Erlich continued to compete at a high level on the ATP Tour, forging new successful partnerships and reaching significant career milestones.
2.4.1. Notable Partnerships
In 2009, after recovering from injury, Erlich partnered with Harel Levy to win the Türk Telecom İzmir Cup, an ATP Challenger Tour event. A particularly noteworthy collaboration occurred at the 2010 Queen's Club Championships, where Erlich teamed up with future world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. Together, they won the doubles title, marking Djokovic's only doubles title of his career. Erlich also partnered with Arnaud Clément at the 2010 Australian Open, reaching the quarterfinals. His later career saw him achieve further success with partners such as Colin Fleming, winning the 2015 ATP Shenzhen Open, and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, with whom he won the 2017 Chengdu Open. In 2019, he secured two titles with Artem Sitak at the 2018 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships and the 2019 Antalya Open.
2.4.2. Milestones and Continued Tour Play
Throughout his later career, Erlich demonstrated remarkable longevity and continued to achieve significant milestones. In May 2021, he captured his 22nd career doubles title at the 2021 Belgrade Open with partner Andrei Vasilevski. This victory brought him within one match of reaching an impressive milestone of 400 career doubles match wins. He continued to compete on the ATP Tour, facing new challenges and maintaining a strong presence in the doubles circuit.
2.5. Final Season and Retirement (2022)
Jonathan Erlich's professional playing career concluded in September 2022. He had announced his retirement after his planned participation at the 2022 Tel Aviv Open, where he intended to partner with Novak Djokovic once more. However, a last-minute injury forced him to withdraw from the tournament, bringing his illustrious professional career to an unexpected end.
3. Post-Playing Career
Following his retirement from professional tennis, Jonathan Erlich has transitioned into a new role focused on the development and promotion of tennis within Israel, particularly emphasizing outreach to diverse communities.
3.1. Transition to Tennis Development
In 2023, Jonathan Erlich joined the non-profit Israel Tennis & Education Centers (ITEC) as the Director of its High-Performance Program. In this influential position, he is responsible for nurturing and developing competitive tennis players from all backgrounds across Israel. His role specifically emphasizes distributing resources and identifying talent in under-served and remote areas of the country, reflecting a commitment to broad-based participation and opportunity within the sport. Additionally, in 2007, Erlich co-founded the "Jewish Sports Foundation" with Andy Ram, an initiative aimed at supporting and promoting Jewish athletes.
4. Career Statistics
Jonathan Erlich's professional career was largely defined by his consistent presence and success in doubles, where he achieved high rankings and numerous titles.
4.1. Overall Singles and Doubles Record
Erlich primarily specialized in doubles throughout his career. His singles record stood at 6 wins and 6 losses, never securing an ATP singles title. His highest singles ranking was No. 292, achieved on 4 October 1999. In doubles, he amassed a career record of 413 wins and 346 losses, securing 22 ATP Tour doubles titles. His career-high doubles ranking was No. 5, reached on 7 July 2008. Over his career, he earned 2.81 M USD in prize money. Erlich is 5.7 ft (1.75 m) tall and weighed 172 lb (78 kg) during his playing career, and he played right-handed with a one-handed backhand.
4.2. ATP Tour Finals
Erlich competed in 45 ATP Tour doubles finals, winning 22 titles and finishing as runner-up 23 times. His sole Grand Slam final appearance resulted in a title at the 2008 Australian Open. He also reached 6 Masters 1000 finals, winning 2 of them.
| Result | W-L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1-0 | July 2000 | Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, United States | International | Grass | Harel Levy (ISR) | Kyle Spencer (GBR) Mitch Sprengelmeyer (USA) | 7-6(7-2), 7-5 |
| Win | 2-0 | September 2003 | Thailand Open, Thailand | International | Hard (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Andrew Kratzmann (AUS) Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) | 6-3, 7-6(7-4) |
| Win | 3-0 | October 2003 | Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon, France | International | Carpet (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Julien Benneteau (FRA) Nicolas Mahut (FRA) | 6-1, 6-3 |
| Loss | 3-1 | January 2004 | Chennai Open, India | International | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Rafael Nadal (ESP) Tommy Robredo (ESP) | 6-7(3-7), 6-4, 3-6 |
| Loss | 3-2 | February 2004 | Rotterdam Open, Netherlands | Intl. Gold | Hard (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Paul Hanley (AUS) Radek Štěpánek (CZE) | 7-5, 6-7(5-7), 5-7 |
| Win | 4-2 | October 2004 | Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon, France (2) | International | Carpet (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Jonas Björkman (SWE) Radek Štěpánek (CZE) | 7-6(7-2), 6-2 |
| Win | 5-2 | February 2005 | Rotterdam Open, Netherlands (2) | Intl. Gold | Hard (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Cyril Suk (CZE) Pavel Vízner (CZE) | 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 |
| Win | 6-2 | June 2005 | Nottingham Open, United Kingdom | International | Grass | Andy Ram (ISR) | Simon Aspelin (SWE) Todd Perry (AUS) | 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 |
| Loss | 6-3 | July 2005 | Los Angeles Open, United States | International | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Rick Leach (USA) Brian MacPhie (USA) | 3-6, 4-6 |
| Loss | 6-4 | August 2005 | Canadian Open, Canada | Masters Series | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Wayne Black (ZIM) Kevin Ullyett (ZIM) | 7-6(7-5), 3-6, 0-6 |
| Loss | 6-5 | October 2005 | Thailand Open, Thailand (2) | International | Hard (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Paul Hanley (AUS) Leander Paes (IND) | 6-5(7-5), 1-6, 2-6 |
| Loss | 6-6 | October 2005 | Vienna Open, Austria | Intl. Gold | Hard (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Mark Knowles (BAH) Daniel Nestor (CAN) | 3-5, 4-5(4-7) |
| Win | 7-6 | January 2006 | Adelaide International, Australia | International | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Paul Hanley (AUS) Kevin Ullyett (ZIM) | 7-6(7-4), 7-6(12-10) |
| Loss | 7-7 | February 2006 | Rotterdam Open, Netherlands (3) | Intl. Gold | Hard (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Paul Hanley (AUS) Kevin Ullyett (ZIM) | 6-7(4-7), 6-7(2-7) |
| Loss | 7-8 | May 2006 | Italian Open, Italy | Masters Series | Clay | Andy Ram (ISR) | Mark Knowles (BAH) Daniel Nestor (CAN) | 4-6, 7-5, [11-13] |
| Win | 8-8 | June 2006 | Nottingham Open, UK (2) | International | Grass | Andy Ram (ISR) | Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) | 6-3, 6-2 |
| Win | 9-8 | August 2006 | Connecticut Open, United States | International | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Mariusz Fyrstenberg (POL) Marcin Matkowski (POL) | 6-3, 6-3 |
| Win | 10-8 | October 2006 | Thailand Open, Thailand (3) | International | Hard (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Andy Murray (GBR) Jamie Murray (GBR) | 6-2, 2-6, [10-4] |
| Loss | 10-9 | March 2007 | Las Vegas Open, United States | International | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Bob Bryan (USA) Mike Bryan (USA) | 6-7(6-8), 2-6 |
| Loss | 10-10 | March 2007 | Indian Wells Masters, United States | Masters Series | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Martin Damm (CZE) Leander Paes (IND) | 4-6, 4-6 |
| Loss | 10-11 | August 2007 | Washington Open, United States | International | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Bob Bryan (USA) Mike Bryan (USA) | 6-7(5-7), 6-3, [7-10] |
| Win | 11-11 | August 2007 | Cincinnati Masters, United States | Masters Series | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Bob Bryan (USA) Mike Bryan (USA) | 4-6, 6-3, [13-11] |
| Win | 12-11 | January 2008 | Australian Open, Australia | Grand Slam | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Arnaud Clément (FRA) Michaël Llodra (FRA) | 7-5, 7-6(7-4) |
| Win | 13-11 | March 2008 | Indian Wells Masters, United States | Masters Series | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Daniel Nestor (CAN) Nenad Zimonjić (SRB) | 6-4, 6-4 |
| Loss | 13-12 | August 2008 | Cincinnati Masters, United States | Masters Series | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Bob Bryan (USA) Mike Bryan (USA) | 6-4, 6-7(2-7), [7-10] |
| Win | 14-12 | June 2010 | Queen's Club Championships, United Kingdom | 250 Series | Grass | Novak Djokovic (SRB) | Karol Beck (SVK) David Škoch (CZE) | 7-6(8-6), 2-6, [10-3] |
| Loss | 14-13 | October 2010 | Thailand Open, Thailand (4) | 250 Series | Hard (i) | Jürgen Melzer (AUT) | Christopher Kas (GER) Viktor Troicki (SRB) | 4-6, 4-6 |
| Win | 15-13 | June 2011 | Eastbourne International, United Kingdom | 250 Series | Grass | Andy Ram (ISR) | Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) Andreas Seppi (ITA) | 6-3, 6-3 |
| Win | 16-13 | August 2011 | Winston-Salem Open, United States | 250 Series | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Christopher Kas (GER) Alexander Peya (AUT) | 7-6(7-2), 6-4 |
| Loss | 16-14 | January 2012 | Chennai Open, India | 250 Series | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Leander Paes (IND) Janko Tipsarević (SRB) | 4-6, 4-6 |
| Win | 17-14 | May 2012 | Serbia Open, Serbia | 250 Series | Clay | Andy Ram (ISR) | Martin Emmrich (GER) Andreas Siljeström (SWE) | 4-6, 6-2, [10-6] |
| Loss | 17-15 | June 2013 | Halle Open, Germany | 250 Series | Grass | Daniele Bracciali (ITA) | Santiago González (MEX) Scott Lipsky (USA) | 2-6, 6-7(3-7) |
| Loss | 17-16 | July 2014 | Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, United States (2) | 250 Series | Grass | Rajeev Ram (USA) | Chris Guccione (AUS) Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) | 5-7, 4-6 |
| Win | 18-16 | October 2015 | Shenzhen Open, China | 250 Series | Hard | Colin Fleming (GBR) | Chris Guccione (AUS) André Sá (BRA) | 6-1, 6-7(3-7), [10-6] |
| Loss | 18-17 | February 2016 | Open 13, France | 250 Series | Hard (i) | Colin Fleming (GBR) | Mate Pavić (CRO) Michael Venus (NZL) | 2-6, 3-6 |
| Loss | 18-18 | August 2016 | Los Cabos Open, Mexico | 250 Series | Hard | Ken Skupski (GBR) | Purav Raja (IND) Divij Sharan (IND) | 6-7(4-7), 6-7(3-7) |
| Loss | 18-19 | January 2017 | Auckland Open, New Zealand | 250 Series | Hard | Scott Lipsky (USA) | Marcin Matkowski (POL) Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) | 6-1, 2-6, [3-10] |
| Win | 19-19 | October 2017 | Chengdu Open, China | 250 Series | Hard | Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) | Marcus Daniell (NZL) Marcelo Demoliner (BRA) | 6-3, 7-6(7-3) |
| Win | 20-19 | July 2018 | Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, United States (3) | 250 Series | Grass | Artem Sitak (NZL) | Marcelo Arévalo (ESA) Miguel Ángel Reyes-Varela (MEX) | 6-1, 6-2 |
| Win | 21-19 | June 2019 | Antalya Open, Turkey | 250 Series | Grass | Artem Sitak (NZL) | Ivan Dodig (CRO) Filip Polášek (SVK) | 6-3, 6-4 |
| Loss | 21-20 | October 2019 | Chengdu Open, China | 250 Series | Hard | Fabrice Martin (FRA) | Nikola Čačić (SRB) Dušan Lajović (SRB) | 6-7(9-11), 6-3, [3-10] |
| Loss | 21-21 | February 2020 | Maharashtra Open, India | 250 Series | Hard | Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) | André Göransson (SWE) Christopher Rungkat (INA) | 2-6, 6-3, [8-10] |
| Loss | 21-22 | February 2021 | Open Sud de France, France | 250 Series | Hard (i) | Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) | Henri Kontinen (FIN) Édouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) | 2-6, 5-7 |
| Win | 22-22 | May 2021 | Belgrade Open, Serbia | 250 Series | Clay | Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) | André Göransson (SWE) Rafael Matos (BRA) | 6-4, 6-1 |
| Loss | 22-23 | September 2021 | Astana Open, Kazakhstan | 250 Series | Hard (i) | Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) | Santiago González (MEX) Andrés Molteni (ARG) | 1-6, 2-6 |
4.3. Challenger and Futures Circuit Finals
In addition to his ATP Tour success, Erlich achieved significant results on the Challenger and Futures circuits, particularly in doubles, which were crucial for his development and ranking progression.
In singles, Erlich reached one Futures final in January 1999 at the India F1 event in Chandigarh, where he lost to fellow Israeli Amir Hadad 3-6, 4-6.
In doubles, Erlich reached 48 finals on the Challenger and Futures tours, securing 32 titles and finishing as runner-up 16 times.
| Result | W-L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1-0 | January 1998 | India F1, New Delhi | Futures | Hard | Noam Okun (ISR) | Jamie Delgado (GBR) Lior Mor (ISR) | 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 |
| Loss | 1-1 | January 1998 | India F3, Indore | Futures | Hard | Noam Okun (ISR) | Ali Hamadeh (LBN) Andrew Rueb (USA) | 6-7, 4-6 |
| Loss | 1-2 | March 1998 | Israel F1, Jaffa | Futures | Hard | Amir Hadad (ISR) | Tapio Nurminen (FIN) Janne Ojala (FIN) | 2-6, 5-7 |
| Win | 2-2 | January 1999 | India F1, Chandigarh | Futures | Hard | Amir Hadad (ISR) | Cédric Kauffmann (FRA) Fazaluddin Syed (IND) | 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 |
| Win | 3-2 | February 1999 | Croatia F1, Zagreb | Futures | Hard | Nir Welgreen (ISR) | Ivan Cinkuš (CRO) Krešimir Ritz (CRO) | 6-2, 6-1 |
| Win | 4-2 | March 1999 | Israel F1, Ashkelon | Futures | Hard | Eyal Erlich (ISR) | Amir Hadad (ISR) Harel Levy (ISR) | 6-4, 6-2 |
| Loss | 4-3 | June 1999 | Ireland F1, Dublin | Futures | Carpet | Amir Hadad (ISR) | Daniele Bracciali (ITA) Igor Gaudi (ITA) | 4-6, 6-3, 3-6 |
| Win | 5-3 | January 2000 | USA F2, Altamonte Springs | Futures | Hard | Harel Levy (ISR) | Óscar Ortiz (MEX) Jimy Szymanski (VEN) | 6-3, 6-4 |
| Win | 6-3 | April 2000 | Uzbekistan F1, Andijan | Futures | Hard | Lior Mor (ISR) | Aisam Qureshi (PAK) Dmitriy Tomashevich (UZB) | 7-6(7-4), 6-4 |
| Win | 7-3 | May 2000 | Uzbekistan F2, Namangan | Futures | Hard | Lior Mor (ISR) | Yaoki Ishii (JPN) Satoshi Iwabuchi (JPN) | 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 |
| Win | 1-0 | May 2000 | Fergana, Uzbekistan | Challenger | Hard | Lior Mor (ISR) | Daniel Melo (BRA) Alexandre Simoni (BRA) | 6-4, 6-0 |
| Win | 2-0 | June 2000 | Denver, USA | Challenger | Hard | Lior Mor (ISR) | Noam Behr (ISR) Andy Ram (ISR) | 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 |
| Loss | 2-1 | October 2000 | Bratislava, Slovakia | Challenger | Hard (i) | Aleksandar Kitinov (MKD) | Paul Hanley (AUS) Paul Rosner (RSA) | 4-6, 4-6 |
| Loss | 2-2 | March 2001 | Andrézieux, France | Challenger | Hard (i) | Noam Behr (ISR) | Julien Benneteau (FRA) Nicolas Mahut (FRA) | 3-6, 3-6 |
| Loss | 2-3 | March 2001 | Magdeburg, Germany | Challenger | Carpet (i) | Lovro Zovko (CRO) | Frédéric Niemeyer (CAN) Radek Štěpánek (CZE) | 6-7(2-7), 6-7(3-7) |
| Win | 3-3 | May 2001 | Jerusalem, Israel | Challenger | Hard | Michaël Llodra (FRA) | Noam Behr (ISR) Noam Okun (ISR) | 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7-2) |
| Win | 4-3 | September 2001 | Istanbul, Turkey | Challenger | Hard | Michaël Llodra (FRA) | Sander Groen (NED) Michael Kohlmann (GER) | w/o |
| Win | 5-3 | October 2001 | Grenoble, France | Challenger | Hard (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Paul Rosner (RSA) Glenn Weiner (USA) | 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(7-4) |
| Win | 6-3 | November 2001 | Puebla, Mexico | Challenger | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) Tuomas Ketola (FIN) | 6-4, 6-7(5-7), 6-1 |
| Win | 7-3 | December 2001 | San José, Costa Rica | Challenger | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Daniel Melo (BRA) Dušan Vemić (FR Yugoslavia) | 6-3, 6-3 |
| Loss | 7-4 | February 2002 | Brest, France | Challenger | Hard (i) | Andy Ram (ISR) | Ben Ellwood (AUS) Stephen Huss (AUS) | 1-6, 4-6 |
| Win | 8-4 | March 2002 | Cherbourg, France | Challenger | Hard (i) | Noam Behr (ISR) | Julien Benneteau (FRA) Lionel Roux (FRA) | w/o |
| Win | 9-4 | November 2002 | Reunion Island, Réunion | Challenger | Hard | Federico Browne (ARG) | Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) Jaroslav Levinský (CZE) | 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 |
| Loss | 9-5 | December 2002 | Milan, Italy | Challenger | Carpet (i) | Aleksandar Kitinov (MKD) | Massimo Bertolini (ITA) Giorgio Galimberti (ITA) | 6-7(4-7), 6-2, 6-7(4-7) |
| Loss | 7-4 | February 2003 | Great Britain F2, Nottingham | Futures | Carpet (i) | Harel Levy (ISR) | Mark Hilton (GBR) Andy Ram (ISR) | 6-7(7-9), 2-6 |
| Win | 10-5 | March 2003 | Besançon, France | Challenger | Hard (i) | Julian Knowle (AUT) | Richard Gasquet (FRA) Nicolas Mahut (FRA) | 6-3, 6-4 |
| Win | 8-4 | April 2003 | Greece F1, Syros | Futures | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) Uros Vico (ITA) | 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 |
| Loss | 10-6 | May 2003 | New Delhi, India | Challenger | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Radoslav Lukaev (BUL) Dmitri Vlasov (RUS) | 6-7(6-8), 6-4, 2-6 |
| Win | 11-6 | July 2003 | Lexington, USA | Challenger | Hard | Takao Suzuki (JPN) | Matias Boeker (USA) Travis Parrott (USA) | 6-4, 6-1 |
| Win | 12-6 | August 2003 | Binghamton, USA | Challenger | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Stephen Huss (AUS) Myles Wakefield (RSA) | 6-4, 6-3 |
| Win | 13-6 | September 2003 | Istanbul, Turkey | Challenger | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Amir Hadad (ISR) Harel Levy (ISR) | 7-6(7-5), 7-6(8-6) |
| Win | 14-6 | November 2003 | Bratislava, Slovakia | Challenger | Hard (i) | Harel Levy (ISR) | Mario Ančić (CRO) Martín García (ARG) | 7-6(9-7), 6-3 |
| Win | 15-6 | November 2003 | Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine | Challenger | Hard (i) | Harel Levy (ISR) | Simon Aspelin (SWE) Johan Landsberg (ARG) | 6-4, 6-3 |
| Loss | 15-7 | November 2004 | Bratislava, Slovakia | Challenger | Hard (i) | Noam Okun (ISR) | Simon Aspelin (SWE) Graydon Oliver (USA) | 6-7(5-7), 3-6 |
| Win | 16-7 | July 2008 | Ramat HaSharon, Israel | Challenger | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Sergei Bubka (UKR) Mikhail Elgin (RUS) | 6-3, 7-6(7-3) |
| Loss | 16-8 | May 2009 | Ramat HaSharon, Israel | Challenger | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | George Bastl (SUI) Chris Guccione (AUS) | 5-7, 6-7(6-8) |
| Win | 17-8 | May 2009 | İzmir, Turkey | Challenger | Hard | Harel Levy (ISR) | Prakash Amritraj (IND) Rajeev Ram (USA) | 6-3, 6-3 |
| Win | 18-8 | May 2010 | Ramat HaSharon, Israel | Challenger | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Alexander Peya (AUT) Simon Stadler (GER) | 6-4, 6-3 |
| Win | 19-8 | August 2013 | Vancouver, Canada | Challenger | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | James Cerretani (USA) Adil Shamasdin (CAN) | 6-1, 6-4 |
| Win | 20-8 | August 2013 | Aptos, USA | Challenger | Hard | Andy Ram (ISR) | Chris Guccione (AUS) Matt Reid (AUS) | 6-3, 6-7(6-8), [10-2] |
| Loss | 20-9 | October 2014 | Rennes, France | Challenger | Hard (i) | František Čermák (CZE) | Tobias Kamke (GER) Philipp Marx (GER) | 6-3, 2-6, [3-10] |
| Loss | 20-10 | April 2016 | Raanana, Israel | Challenger | Hard | Philipp Oswald (AUT) | Konstantin Kravchuk (RUS) Denys Molchanov (UKR) | 6-4, 6-7(1-7), [4-10] |
| Win | 21-10 | August 2017 | Aptos, USA | Challenger | Hard | Neal Skupski (GBR) | Alex Bolt (AUS) Jordan Thompson (AUS) | 6-3, 2-6, [10-8] |
| Loss | 21-11 | October 2017 | Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei | Challenger | Hard | Alexander Peya (AUT) | Sanchai Ratiwatana (THA) Sonchat Ratiwatana (THA) | 4-6, 6-1, [6-10] |
| Win | 22-11 | January 2018 | Canberra, Australia | Challenger | Hard | Divij Sharan (IND) | Hans Podlipnik-Castillo (CHI) Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) | 7-6(7-1), 6-2 |
| Loss | 22-12 | March 2019 | Lille, France | Challenger | Hard | Fabrice Martin (FRA) | Romain Arneodo (MON) Hugo Nys (FRA) | 5-7, 7-5, [8-10] |
| Win | 23-12 | March 2019 | Saint Brieuc, France | Challenger | Hard (i) | Fabrice Martin (FRA) | Jonathan Eysseric (FRA) Antonio Šančić (CRO) | 7-6(7-2), 7-6(7-2) |
| Win | 24-12 | April 2019 | Taipei, Chinese Taipei | Challenger | Hard (i) | Sriram Balaji (IND) | Sander Arends (NED) Tristan-Samuel Weissborn (AUT) | 6-3, 6-2 |
4.4. Performance Timelines
Erlich's Grand Slam and ATP Masters Series performance timelines demonstrate his longevity and consistent participation at the highest levels of professional tennis, especially in doubles.
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | SR | W-L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Slam tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | A | 1R | 1R | A | 2R | 3R | 2R | 3R | W | A | QF | 2R | 1R | 3R | 1R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | 1R | 1 / 17 | 20-16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| French Open | A | A | 1R | A | 3R | A | 2R | 3R | 3R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 3R | A | 2R | 2R | A | A | A | 2R | 1R | 0 / 15 | 15-15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | A | 2R | 1R | SF | 1R | 3R | 3R | 2R | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | SF | 1R | 1R | 3R | 1R | NH | 1R | 0 / 20 | 20-20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Open | 1R | A | A | 1R | 1R | QF | 3R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 2R | A | 1R | A | A | 2R | 0 / 16 | 14-16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Win-loss | 0-1 | 1-2 | 0-3 | 4-2 | 3-4 | 7-3 | 6-4 | 7-4 | 12-3 | 0-3 | 5-4 | 2-4 | 3-4 | 4-4 | 2-3 | 6-3 | 2-4 | 1-3 | 2-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 0-1 | 1 / 67 | 69-66 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year-end championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ATP Finals | Did not qualify | RR | RR | Did not qualify | 0 / 2 | 2-4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ATP Masters Series | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indian Wells | Absent | 2R | 2R | 1R | F | W | A | A | 2R | A | 1R | 2R | Absent | 1 / 8 | 13-7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami | Absent | 2R | QF | SF | 1R | 1R | A | A | QF | Absent | 0 / 6 | 8-6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monte Carlo | Absent | 2R | A | 2R | 2R | QF | Absent | 0 / 4 | 1-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rome | Absent | 1R | 1R | F | 2R | 2R | Absent | 1R | A | 0 / 6 | 3-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Madrid | Absent | 1R | 1R | QF | 1R | Absent | 1R | Absent | 0 / 5 | 1-5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canada | Absent | QF | F | 2R | SF | 2R | Absent | 0 / 5 | 7-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cincinnati | Absent | QF | 1R | SF | W | F | 1R | Absent | 1 / 6 | 11-5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shanghai | Not Masters Series | A | 2R | Absent | 0 / 1 | 1-1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paris | Absent | QF | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | 2R | Absent | 0 / 5 | 2-5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamburg | Absent | 1R | 1R | QF | SF | 2R | Not Masters Series | 0 / 5 | 3-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Win-loss | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 6-8 | 8-8 | 10-9 | 11-8 | 9-6 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 3-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 / 51 | 50-49 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year-end ranking | 110 | 107 | 119 | 33 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 11 | 191 | 45 | 50 | 49 | 62 | 87 | 49 | 51 | 78 | 101 | 73 | 70 | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5. Legacy and Impact
Jonathan Erlich's career left a lasting mark on Israeli tennis, establishing a high benchmark for future generations and actively contributing to the sport's development at the grassroots level.
5.1. Contributions to Israeli Tennis
As one of Israel's most successful tennis players, particularly in doubles, Jonathan Erlich significantly elevated the profile of Israeli tennis on the global stage. His partnership with Andy Ram, affectionately known as "Andyoni," not only achieved a historic Grand Slam title but also brought consistent visibility and pride to the nation through their ATP Tour successes and their commendable performances in the Davis Cup and Olympic Games. Their collective achievements served as a powerful inspiration for young athletes in Israel, demonstrating that players from smaller tennis nations could compete and triumph against the world's best.
Beyond his playing career, Erlich has channeled his experience and passion into fostering the next generation of Israeli tennis talent. His role as the Director of High-Performance Program at the Israel Tennis & Education Centers (ITEC) is particularly impactful. In this capacity, he is dedicated to developing competitive tennis players from all backgrounds across Israel, with a strong emphasis on identifying and nurturing talent in under-served and remote areas of the country. This commitment reflects a vision for inclusivity and equal opportunity within Israeli sports, ensuring that access to high-quality tennis training is available irrespective of socioeconomic status or geographical location. His work in youth development and his previous involvement in initiatives like the "Jewish Sports Foundation" underscore his broader commitment to community building and ensuring the growth of tennis as a sport for all in Israel.