Nicolas and Giovanni Lapentti beat Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge in an epic doubles match today to keep alive Ecuador's slim hopes of beating Australia in their world group first round Davis Cup tie.
The Lapentti brothers saved three match points before clinching victory 6-2 2-6 1-6 7-6 12-10 to prevent Australia from taking an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five tie.
"We kept fighting, we won that tiebreak in the fourth and in the end it was just who was hanging in the toughest," Nicolas said.
Australia are still strong favourites to win the tie and advance to a second round meeting with either Brazil or Morocco in April.
They lead 2-1 after winning Friday's two singles matches and need to win just one of Sunday's two reverse singles to claim victory.
But Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald said his players knew they would have to play well to secure the victory.
"These guys are quality players, they proved that today," Fitzgerald said.
"They have a lot of courage, they hung in there and their confidence grew as the match wore on."
Giovanni will take on Patrick Rafter in Sunday's first reverse singles before his older brother Nicolas faces Lleyton Hewitt in the final match.
"I'm confident we will win this game, but you can't take anything for granted," Fitzgerald said. "You've got to go out and do the job on the day."
Australia went into Saturday's doubles match as big favourites but knew they were in for a long day in the 37C heat after the Ecuadorians comfortably took the first set.
But the Australians regained control, easily winning the next two, before Ecuador, who made the world group for the first time by beating Britain at Wimbledon last year, won the fourth in a tiebreak.
Woodbridge served for the match at 5-3 in the fifth and held three match points but could not convert any as the Lapentti brothers broke and went on to win the 83-minute long final set. -REUTERS-