Israel’s national tennis team will host a Davis Cup playoff in February for the first time since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel’s Tennis Association announced on Sunday.

The games, against Lithuania, are scheduled to take place on Feb. 6-7 at the Arena Hall in Netanya as part of World Group I of the Davis Cup, Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reported.

“This is a particularly emotional moment for the sport,” said ITA chairman Avi Peretz, according to Kan.

“After a difficult period, we succeeded in bringing the national team’s matches back home, to their natural place—before the Israeli crowd. We will continue to work so that every athlete and team can represent Israel with pride, here in the country,” he added.

The last time Israel’s Davis Cup team hosted a tie in the Jewish state was in September, 2023, when it defeated Japan 3-2.

Since the war’s beginning on Oct. 7, however, no club competitions or national team events have taken place in Israel. Israeli tennis teams were compelled to host their matches abroad.

The ITA said that in recent months it had led a “determined and prolonged struggle” with the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

“After a thorough review of all the information and commitments presented, the ITF accepted the Tennis Association’s arguments, and it was unanimously and officially decided to hold the tie in Israel, subject to the maintenance of security stability in the country,” the association stated.

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