© “DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”
Since the days he first began winning Grand Slam titles, Roger Federer has repeatedly insisted that one of his career goals was to win the Davis Cup for Switzerland. But now, two years have elapsed since the 30 year –old won the last of his record 16 singles majors, there seems to have been a distinct reassessment.
Federer is the only member of the world’s elite four to represent his country this weekend with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray all declaring themselves not available to play in the cause of Serbia, Spain and Great Britain respectively. But the senior member of the quartet appears to have adopted a far more laissez fairattitude to the Davis Cup.
This is the first year in eight that Federer has made himself available for the first round of matches and will team up with Stanislas Wawrinka for Switzerland in Fribourg against a depleted United States team without Andy Roddick and Bob Bryan.
At the Australian Open last month, Federer said: “If we lose against the U.S., there’s no more Davis Cup until September. If we win, I have no idea whether I’d play in April. I have certain commitments and priorities.”
Then after Thursday’s draw ceremony that saw him pitched into an initial meeting with John Isner, Federer added: ““This is just another tie for me.
“It doesn’t matter when and where it is, it’s all a matter of priorities. My team is a group of great friends, that’s what I enjoy about it, that I can spend some time with them, and hopefully try to win but if we don’t it doesn’t matter. It’s about trying your best and having a good time.”
In 2010 Federer was quizzed about his commitment to Davis Cup by Swiss federation president Rene Stammbach after an embarrassing 5-0 defeat against Kazakhstan
At the time Stammbach said: “At the end of the day it’s always going to be his decision – we don’t have a contract with him. We’re just depending on his good will. If he wants to defend the colors of the country, that’s up to him.”
© “DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”