Andreas Seppi and Simone Bolelli saved a match point in the tie-break of the fifth set to beat Belgium’s Ruben Bemelmans and Joris De Loore in five sets 4-6 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6 (8-6) in a thrilling five-set doubles match in Charleroi after three hours and 50 minutes to keep Italian hopes in the quarter final of the BNP Paribas. Belgium now leads 2-1 before the final two reverse rubber singles matches.
Seppi and Bolelli, who had just played only once as a doubles team in a tie between Italy and Switzerland last year, went down a break in the third game of the opening set to trail 1-3 but broke back to draw level to 3-3, as De Loore hit his forehand into the net.
In the seventh game Seppi and Bolelli saved three consecutive break points and held their serve but the Belgian team won 12 of their next 15 points from 3-4 with a break in the 9th game to take a 5-4 lead.
Seppi and Bolelli broke serve to 15 at 3-2. In the next game they saved two break-back points at 4-2 15-40, including one with an ace and held their service game. The Italians held their final service game to love to seal the second set 6-3.
In the third set Seppi and Bolelli got their only break at deuce at 2-2 after the Belgian team made a double fault at 40-40. At 5-4 Seppi served it out for the set on the seventh set point, as Bemelmans sailed an overhead long.
Bemelmans and De Loore earned the only break to love in the 8th game to seal the fourth set by 6-4 to the delight of the 6200 spectators who packed the Spiroudome.
In the fifth set the Italian team saved three break points at 2-2 on Bolelli’s serve. Bolelli and Seppi got the break to 15 in the sixth game to open up a 4-2 lead. As Bolelli was serving for the match at 5-4, De Loore earned a break point at 40-40 with a forehand winner. Belgium broke back to force the match to the tie-break, as Bolelli sent his forehand into the net. In the tie-break Bolelli and Seppi got a mini-break but Bemelmans and De Loore broke back. At 5-6 the Italians saved a match point before getting the decisive mini-break at 7-6 to seal the win. Italy fired 48 winners and converted four of their nine break points.
“I am very happy. It was a very tough match. On this surface they are really tough to play. They played really good. For me we deserved it. We had many chances in the fifth set to close the match. We lost some bad luck points but in the end we won. We are two-one down, but we are still alive”, said Bolelli.
Paolo Lorenzi will need to beat David Goffin in Sunday’s first match to keep Italy in contention for a spot in the semifinal.
Before today’s doubles match Steve Darcis was presented with a Davis Cup Committment Award.
