TENNIS DAVIS CUP – Roger Federer beat Fabio Fognini 6-2 6-4 7-6 (4) in just under two hours to give the third decisive point to the Swiss team to the delight of the 184000 home fans. Switzerland can celebrate the return to the Davis Cup final 22 years after the 3-2 defeat against the USA. Federer has the chance to complete his impressive collection of titles. Diego Sampaolo
Fognini started better and got a break point in the third game which Federer saved with an ace. Federer looked nervous until the sixth game when he broke serve to take a 4-2 lead.
Federer got a second break in the final game of the opening set to wrap it up with 6-2
Federer could not convert three break points in the second game of the second set but he held serve to love to take the 3-2 edge before earning a break point at 4-3 with a forehand down the line. The Swiss legend hit a lob which Fognini smashed into the net and broke serve for 5-3.
Federer was under pressure when Fognini earned three break points in the fourth game and another in the sixth but Federer fended them off.
Federer had to serve to stay in the set at 4-5 but he drew level to 5-5 with his 10th ace. Fognini rallied from 0-30 in the eleventh game.
The third set came down to the tie-break. Federer got the mini-break to go up 4-1 but Fognini clawed his way back to 4-4. Federer got another mini-break with a forehand return winner
Federer hit his 12th ace to pull away to 6-4 before closing out on his second match point when Fognini hit his backhand into the net.
Federer did not play his best tennis but he was better than Fognini on the most important points.
The red-cross team makes its return to the Davis Cup final 22 years after losing against the USA 2-3. Switzerland will travel to Lille in Northern France to play against the strong French team led by Jo Wilfred Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils who will take a favourite role as the home country.
Federer will be bidding to win one of the few trophies missing in his impressive collection. For Wawrinka the Davis Cup could crown a magic season in which he won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and his first Master 1000 in Monte-Carlo.
After the match Federer celebrated with his teammates Stan Wawrinka, Marco Chiudinelli, Michael Lammer and Swiss captain Severin Luthi parading Swiss red-crossed flags at the centre of the court.
Federer expressed his joy after the match by wimping with delight when he won the final point, showing how important this triumph was for him. If Switzerland beats France in Lille next November, Federer could add the Davis Cup to the 17 Grand Slam titles
“I think I really struggled and Fabio really struggled the whole weekend. There were tough conditions. There were a lot of errors. It was not the best performance for both of us, but you have got to fight with what you have got. It was thrilling at the end”, said Federer.
“In the first two sets I was a bit unlucky. I played well. I had a chance in the first set. I had the first break point and when I lost serve it was from two forehands that were just out. When you play Roger, you have to make these. I did not play badly but on the most important points he played better than me, so I have to say Bravo to him”, said Fognini
The French team, who beat twice defending champions from Czech Republic with an emphatic 4-1 at the legendary Phillippe Chatrier Court in Paris, will make its return to the Davis Cup final four years after losing 3-2 against Serbia in Belgrade. Among the players who played in the Serbian capital there was current French captain Arnaud Clement
It’s amazing. My players are so focused on the Davis Cup and we are now in the final. It’s amazing. We are going to celebrate this but they are going to be focused on the final”, said Clement
France has not played a final at home since 2002. It will be the first time that Jo Wilfred Tsonga will play a Davis Cup final. The Equipe tricolore won their ninth and last Davis Cup in 2001
“It’s son great being in the final because i am waiting for it because a few years ago we qualified for the final but I was not able to play because I was injured. Now I will have another chance to play another final”, said Tsonga
