Federer seals Davis Cup success
Roger Federer has beaten Potito Starace 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 to give Switzerland an unassailable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five Davis Cup play-off against Italy.
The world number one’s win in Genoa means Switzerland will stay in the World Group next year.
In the rubber’s final match on Sunday afternoon, Michael Lammer lost to Fabio Fognini 7-5, 7-6 (4), for an overall 3-2 scoreline in Switzerland’s favour.
Federer thus stretched his winning streak in Davis Cup singles matches to 12, dating back to his five-set loss to Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in the 2003 semifinals.
Winning the Davis Cup is one of the few achievements missing from Federer’s long list of accomplishments.
“It was a tough weekend for us and I’m happy I could help Switzerland win,” he said. “I was able to play very well.”
Federer was looking forward to some more rest over the next two weeks.
“I have to go on holiday badly. I have a problem with my leg, I have a problem with my arm – everything is hurting. And I’ve got to do some baby-sitting. I’ve been spending a lot of time on the tennis court the last few weeks.”
Federer’s wife Mirka gave birth to twin girls in July.
On Saturday Stanislas Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli lost their doubles match 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (3) on the clay courts at the Valletta Cambiaso club. Swiss captain Severin Luthi rested Federer and selected 117th-ranked Chiudinelli in his place.
On Friday Wawrinka beat Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 and Federer defeated Bolelli 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in the weekend’s opening singles matches.
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