Roger Federer & Co overcomes Australia to earn spot in Davis Cup World Group

Written by: Global Chick on 19th September 2011

Roger Federer & Co overcomes Australia to earn spot in Davis Cup World Group

Switzerland's Roger Federer in action against Australia's Bernard Tomic during their Davis Cup world group play-off match in Sydney, Australia, on 18 September 2011. Federer defeated Tomic 6-2, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. EPA/DEAN LEWINS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

The Australia vs. Switzerland tie at the Royal Sydney Golf Club was suspended on Sunday night due to bad light. Australia’s number two and Davis Cup veteran Lleyton Hewitt was playing Swiss number two Stanislas Wawrinka. The match was in the fifth set when the referee decided to call it a day and for the match to continue at 11.00am today. It was 2-2 in rubbers. Wawrinka won the fifth deciding rubber today in three minutes, two minutes less than the actual warm up.

Switzerland was 5-3 up in the fifth set when both teams were sent home around 6pm last night. Wawrinka and Hewitt returned to the Royal Sydney grass court this morning. Hewitt was serving at 3-5 and Wawrinka immediately broke his serve to win the match 4-6, 6-4 6-7 (7) 6-4 6-3 and the tie to claim a spot in the Davis Cup World Group next year. Australia will face yet another year out of the World Group.

“I was struggling a bit today,” said Hewitt. It was always going to make life tough even if I was able to hold serve in that first game and then he was going to serve and I probably wasn’t going to be at my best to be able to return the next game. I went out there and gave it what I could but it wasn’t to be.”

It looked like Hewitt was going to hold serve in the first game of the day. He raced to a 30-0 lead but then struggled to move and he hit two double faults in the same game to lose his service game and give Switzerland a 3-2 win over Australia.

“It’s amazing to be in the same team but for sure in Switzerland it is never easy because it doesn’t matter what I am going to do or which ranking I am going to have because it’s never going to be enough for Swiss people they always look to Roger, but that’s ok,” Warinka said.

Wawrinka said he was happy with his form and beating an accomplished player like Hewitt on grass felt really good. He also said it was one of the best Davis Cup matches he has ever played.

Lleyton Hewitt will continue to work hard and recover from his foot injury. Davis Cup has always been important to the former world number one and he said, “As long as I haven’t retired I’ll still be putting my hand up for Davis Cup.”