Davis Cup - Ecuador vs Romania - Sept 2003
MATCH 5 - Singles

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Giovanni Lapentti vs Razvan Sabau

So it was all down to Giovanni again – just like in 2000. Having sat in the team changing room for nearly 5 hours wondering if he was actually going to get to play or not, I think the emotion of Nico's rollercoaster match must have got to the younger brother. Although he started fairly strongly on serve, Giovanni soon found himself trailing as he lost his serve (after several double faults) in the 7^th game. Sabau was returning much better than at the start of his match against Nico and took the opening set 6-4. I believe the loss of this set was just a reaction from the tension and stress of the previous rubber. The crowed were not quite as noisy, needing a bit of time to recover.

In an attempt to help Giovanni, it had obviously been decided that the members of the Ecuadorian team would not sit altogether behind Raul. Instead they were methodically scattered around the court in all four corners so there was always someone close by to encourage him and this ploy certainly worked as the match progressed. Andres Gomez, his sons and Nico were up one end, while Luis Morejon and Jhony de Leon were up the other. (Once the fans worked out that Nico was accessible and prepared to sign autographs, he was kept busy as the fans converged from all directions every change of ends).

In the second set Giovanni became more aggressive and he recovered to win the second set 6-3, but with time getting on, I think both teams realised the match was now not likely to be finished before the referee called time for the day so the third set became a vital set to win. At one set all, This set was close throughout and yet another tie break loomed, but with Romania leading 5-4, Sabau suddenly upped the pace and broke in the 10^th game to take the set 6-4. At this point as expected, the referee Paolo Perreira called time and Romania had an overnight 2-1 set advantage.

So yet again, the teams would have to come back the following day to complete things.

After 3 days full of tennis action, the Davis Cup tie had become big news around Quito and well before play was due to commence on the Monday, the stands were full with expectant fans (many of whom had arrived in school parties) as the Ecuadorian Federation had announced that entrance would be free.

Nico, Luis, Andres and Jhony took up their places amongst the fans – again up separate corners – and got the crowd well into cheering mode before Giovanni and Sabau came on the court, just to make life a bit more intimidating for the Romanians than it was already.

Giovanni obviously used the positive aura/atmosphere well – he started well – but then again so did Sabau. Giovanni did everything in his power to win that fourth set and got the first break of the set but fate decreed one bad service game from the Ecuadorian and Sabau broke back. However in the 11^th game, Giovanni broke again and this time was able to hold serve to take the set 7-5. The crowd went berserk, singing, dancing and cheering and Nico and the rest of the team were well into the festivities.

So the tie came down to one final shoot out . The 5^th set of the 5^th rubber, the 15^th set for Giovanni and the 25^th set in the tie in total. It could not be closer than this. The final set was just like the rest of the tie: tense, stressful and boy did everyone suffer! No chances to break early on for either player.

Just as things got to the business end of the set, Giovanni had one break chance but this was saved. Then serving at 5-6 (with no tie break to come), Giovanni suddenly buckled under the pressure – he went 15-40 down and even though he saved the first match point, he could do nothing about the second. Sabau had won the match 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 and thus the tie to keep Romania in the World Group.

The stats showed that Giovanni actually won more points in the rubber but "c'est la vie". It was extremely hard for Giovanni to take and he collapsed to the floor crying but then was brave enough to hold his head high and spoke to the crowd, apologising to the crowd and his country for causing pain. He also pledged to return and win the Challenger tournament which was set to start just a fortnight later – and as we know, he did just that.

The fans had been silenced when Sabau won the match and the atmosphere around the court was one of shock but I am sure that not one single person present did not want to thank Nicolas and Giovanni for committing so much during the weekend; their effort, grit, determination and above all heart to represent their country. They did everyone, their family, friends and country proud.

Looking back, the Romanians obviously had the advantage and luck to be able to use different fresher players in the doubles. Overall Nicolas and Giovanni had each played 15 sets and were on court for more than 13 hours whereas Romania's singles players Hanescu and Sabau had been on court for about 8 hours during the tie.

However, Team Lapentti do have one record to savour though – this tie was the longest (in number of games played) since the introduction of the tie break (in 1981) – a massive 283 games (275 games plus 8 tie breaks, counting one game for each tie break played) and this record might stand for some time to come.

It was a shame that after all the effort by both teams that one of them had to lose – but that is tennis – perhaps one of the cruellest of sports. However, Nico and Giovanni will get another chance next year in 2004.

The End

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[And if you are wondering where the photos of the Romanians are...... well keep wondering! - This is me - I have been known to take video footage and photos of Nico when he is practicing with Guga and not get one glimpse of Brazilian favourite !]