Dan Brand: Israel's Next Tennis Hope Emerges After Breakthrough Year

While Israelis have been following soccer and basketball, 17-year-old Dan Brand has been quietly ascending the international junior tennis circuit. Hailing from Kfar Saba, Brand holds the 24th spot in the world junior boys' rankings and is poised for further advancement.

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Dan is absolutely our next hope. He is on the right track to be in the top 20 for juniors. He had a few very nice wins in a men’s Futures tournament a few weeks ago, where he reached the quarterfinals. So hopefully in the next few years, we can see another Grand Slam player. We can only hope and be patient.

This year marked significant milestones for Brand, as he competed in both singles and doubles at the prestigious French Open at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Although he faced a tough first-round loss in singles at Roland Garros, he reached the doubles quarterfinals with his partner. At Wimbledon, Brand advanced to the second round in both singles and doubles, and he is set to compete in the upcoming US Open.

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It is nice to see him coming along and moving in a nice direction. He plays clever tennis and is quite good all around.

"Dan is absolutely our next hope," stated Yoni Erlich, Israel's Davis Cup captain and tennis director at the Israel Tennis and Education Centers. "He is on the right track to be in the top 20 for juniors." Erlich noted Brand's recent success in a men's Futures tournament, where he reached the quarterfinals, fueling optimism for another Israeli Grand Slam player in the coming years.

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nice, quiet, low-key, hard-working, and dedicated.

Amos Mansdorf, a former top Israeli player who now coaches Brand, has been guiding the young talent since he was 12. Mansdorf described Brand as a "clever" and well-rounded player who is "nice, quiet, low-key, hard-working, and dedicated." He observed that Brand plays with a calm demeanor, "doesn't panic," and possesses the potential to reach the top 50 on the professional tour. Mansdorf emphasized the need for Brand to continue developing his physical strength and professional weaponry, such as a powerful serve, to compete effectively at the highest levels.

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doesn’t panic.