Lacap's make Manitoba Open a family affair

Sean Lacap in action at the Manitoba Open Tennis
Championships. (Photo: VERSUS Photography)

By Geoff Kirbyson

The Lacap family might want to start taking separate cars to tennis tournaments.

With three sons – Sean, 24, Chad, 19, and now 15-year-old Cole – playing in the open category at this year’s Manitoba Open, the likelihood that one will be going home unhappy at the hands of one of his brothers is high.

That was likely the case on Wednesday night at the Kildonan Tennis Club as Sean and his partner, Anita Paskvalin, posted a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 win over Cole and Kylie Waschuk in the mixed open doubles round robin.

Sibling rivalry? You bet.

Sean, who won his first men’s open singles tournament a decade ago, said he’s “not exactly thrilled” about his odds of staying atop the family tennis ladder cut in half with Cole’s arrival in the open events.

“We take these match-ups very seriously at home. Chad and I wouldn't talk to each other for the two days leading up to our first round singles match at the Taylor Clay Courts tournament this summer. And I may have possibly uttered threats to Cole about errant overheads and put-aways coming his way tonight,” he says.

But ever the big brother, Sean says he’ll be the first to “sincerely and proudly” congratulate his siblings when they eventually take him down. There’s just one small catch, though.

“I’ll make it very uncomfortable for them to try it, both on and off the court,” he says.

Cole says Sean knows he’s probably going to play one of his brothers sooner or later in the draw.

“He has played Chad many times but for Sean to play me was very different because he can have two brothers that are at his own level,” the youngest Lacap says.

Cole admitted that he got a few pointers from Chad before going out on the court.

“He said I had nothing to lose by playing Sean. I am the youngest brother, after all,” he says.

The Lacaps aren’t always on opposite sides of the net. Sean and Chad are the No. 2 seeds in the men’s doubles and will play Thursday evening.

The men’s singles quarterfinals are now set as three more seeds moved on Wednesday night. Top seeded Kevin Kylar defeated Shane Nicholls 6-2, 6-3, No. 3 Evan Mancer needed three sets to get by Sean Grassie, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 and No. 7 Kento Tanaka-Tamaki defeated Don Wong Kang, 6-1, 6-0.

All of the quarter-finals in both men’s singles and men’s doubles will take place Thursday evening. The women’s singles’ semi-finals are also on tap, with another potential family feud in the offing.

Top seed Evann Waschuk will play Samantha Lee while No. 2 Kylie Waschuk will take on fourth seeded Jennifer Wang.

See also: Marathon match puts Ismath into Manitoba Open Quarterfinals

Get Manitoba Open draw updates at tennismanitoba.com