The opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games in Torino and first round of Davis Cup matches - what a fantastic sport weekend started on February, 10th, 2006. As "my team" India freezed in Korea, which was just a little bit too far to have a short weekend-trip, I aimed to my favourite European tennis national team. Luxemburg impressed me during the last years by some very impressive wins, escpecially on home ground - for example Yugoslavia, Finland or Morocco.
Luxemburg captian Johnny Goudenbour surprinsingly (for me) decided to rely on Laurent Bram instead of Gilles Kremer for the singles. Bram faced Portugal's number 1, Rui Machado, who is ATP-ranked #254 and thus some 750 ranks in front of the host player.
After the first two games were more or less easily won by the server, Bram lost his serve in the third game, in which Machado converted his first break point. Both players served well afterwards, but Bram took his first break point opportunity to come back in the set. As there was nothing special about the next two games, Bram was "on the mount" at 5-5 score. 0:40, triple break point Portugal - and Machado said thanks. Bram even had a break point against the following Machado serve, but at the end, Machado won the first set by 7-5. Though Bram eventually even showed the nicer strokes and looked to be very competetive, he struggled in the important situation and became too nervous to have a proper chance.
In the second set, Bram started very disappointingly and lost the first four games. He did not have a single game point in this set so far - neither on own serve nor on Machado's one - but this time, he made a clean sweep and won his game to love. Psychical strength is very important in professional sports - and everytime Bram played without pressure (as he seemed to have lost anyway), he played great. Though Machado clean-swept his serve afterwards, too, and even had a break point against Brams serve at 5-1, Bram somehow seemed to be back in the match. The Luxembourgian even managed to break Machado and had no problems to win his own serve, so the score was 5-4 Portugal with Machado to serve. Again, Bram had his chance and lead 30-40 after Machado made the first two points of the game. But the big points went to Portugal in that match and Machado took the second set. Bram was seriously punished for acting that bad at the start of the set.
The match was not world-class tennis so far, but at least, it was thrilling and the crowd was just amazing in the tiny CNT (national tennis center). Unfortunately, that changed in third set. Bram was too nervous now, while Machado just made the home run: 6-1 third set, Portugal won the first rubber, which was a really great watch at least during the first two sets.