Two hours and 33 minutes passed to see Old Gonzalo (326°) on the ground, exhausted and very excited by the incredible victory that he got against the Portuguese Gonçalo Oliveira (309 °), by 6-4, 3-6 and 7-5, in a game where he took his physical condition to the maximum limit to impose himself on the European.
The meeting began smoothly for the Chilean, who had entered the Dove Men + Care Challenger in Santiago 2 as a result of an invitation. A quick break presaged a simple duel, as the Lion commanded the rallies and struck with his right hand. However, in the third game he felt a discomfort in his right knee, which forced him to seek medical attention. Complications were noticed immediately, as his mobility was greatly impaired.
Oliveira recovered the break, while Lama returned to ask for assistance. However, Cristóbal Saavedra’s pupil fought and got the final break to take the first set to the astonishment of the public. The Chilean was treated again before the start of the second set, but the discomfort persisted.
The Portuguese tried to move the national, although he combined successes with many errors. His peculiar service weapon also attracted attention. Exchanges more, exchanges less, this time he did not forgive the owner of the house and took his sleeve. Faced with this scenario, it was feared for the retirement of the capital, who looked increasingly complicated but, defying his own body, decided to continue.
Physically handicapped, Lama encountered a fairly firm Oliveira at the beginning of the final chapter. The Portuguese was placed 2-0 and the worst was feared. However, the Chilean recovered tennis and as he could he evened things out. Then, an exchange of breaks until reaching the twelfth game, where the Lion achieved the final break, to close the duel with his service. Pain and a lot of emotion was what came next.
After leaving the court, his condition was of concern. “It may be short, that my knee is very bad”he said when the organization asked him to speak. Then he expressed his joy at the triumph: “I am very happy with this result. Quarterfinals again, after Quito. I come in very good weeks “, he expressed, to finally talk about the happiness of winning before his people: “For me it is a very special feeling to win at the Palestinian Club, it is my home. I am going to do everything possible to recover ”.
As soon as the meeting ended, Lama went to the Meds Clinic to be evaluated. For now, was erased from the doubles competition.
The victory will mean Gonzalo Lama a promotion of around 14 positions and, if he defeats the Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo (110 °) for the passage to the semifinals, it will return to the top 300 of the world ranking, after four and a half years.
