1.
TV: Rumanian player Ilie Natase wearing dark shorts and wins points after rally.
0.15

2.
GV: crowd
0.16

3.
TV: Natase (far and) serves and wins point with overhead smash.
0.29

4.
SV: scoreboard showing Natase having won first set six games to three
0.30

5.
TV: Natase serves and wins point with cross court forehand.
0.40

6.
SV: scoreboard six-three, six-love to Natase and four games all in third.
0.43

7.
TV: French player Francois Jauffret serves and wins point as Nastase misses ball.
0.54

8.
SV AND TV: umpire watches as Jauffret serves and wins point with a smash (2 shots)
1.07

9.
SV AND TV: umpire watches as Natase serves and Jauffret wins point with a cross court forehand, crowd applauds (3 shots)
1.33

10.
TV: match point: Natase serves and loses to forehand passing shot. players shake hands at net and walk off court.
1.58



Initials RH/2316


SPORT: TENNIS

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: France has taken a shock two-nil lead over Rumania in the European Davis Cup tennis Zone a final. France's Patrick Poisy easily won his match against the Rumanian, Dimitru Haradau, but it seemed the two countries would draw level when Ilie Natase had a virtual stranglehold on the second match. Natase was leading two sets to nil but at four games all in the third set, Frenchmen, Francois Jauffret, fought back to snatch an exciting win in five sets.

SYNOPSIS: The controversial Rumanian, Ilie Natasie, wearing the red shorts, was in brilliant attacking form and continued to press his older rival.

The centre court crowd at the Roland Barros Stadium saw natase dominate the Frenchman, Francois Jauffret.

Natase easily won the first set six games to three.

In the second set, it was all Natase. It seemed the 35 year old, Jauffret, could do little to stem the tide of the match and it appeared certain he would again suffer defeat by the Rumanian.

But after being four-all in the third set, Jauffret fought back overcoming his earlier lack of confidence. Before the game Jauffret was quoted as saying he was doubtful that he could win since Natase had beaten him on nine of the 12 occasions that they'd met.

Attacking and crowding the net, Jauffret seemed to swarm over the returns from Natase.

Forcing Natase on the defensive, Jauffret went from strength to strength to the obvious delight of the home crowd.

Finally it was match point in the fifth set after a long and gruelling session on the centre court.

A victory for Francois Jauffret and France took a crucial match to go two matches up in the final. Jauffret beat Natase 3-6, 0-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1.