Jonathan Erlich — tennis (grand slam) with roots in the Russian Empire
Jonathan Erlich is an Israeli professional tennis player who won the French Open doubles title in 2008 alongside Andy Ram, becoming one of the first Israeli players to win a Grand Slam title. He was one of Israel's most successful professional tennis players of the 2000s.
Tracing the roots — Russia roots
Erlich's family has Russian roots on one side — part of the Eastern European Jewish diaspora in Israel. His Grand Slam victory at Roland Garros represented a landmark for Israeli tennis and for the Russian-Jewish sporting tradition that has produced such a remarkable concentration of Israeli sporting achievement.
Born in Argentina to Jewish immigrants; Davis Cup champion.
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Russia roots. At the time, this region lay within the Russian Empire, which spanned from Poland to the Pacific.