Federer ready for Davis Cup

Roger Federer has shrugged off the effects of his flight from New York and the disappointment of a U.S. Open semifinal loss to be ready for Switzerland’s Davis Cup playoff against Australia starting Friday.

The No. 3-ranked Federer, who arrived in Australia on Wednesday, will play three matches in the Davis Cup, starting with a singles match against Lleyton Hewitt, followed by a doubles pairing with Stanislas Wawrinka.

Wimbledon quarterfinalist Bernard Tomic will face Wawrinka in the opening singles match, while Hewitt will join Chris Guccione in doubles.

Federer will play Tomic for the first time in Sunday’s reverse singles, while Hewitt meets Wawrinka.

The winner advances to the Davis Cup World Group for 2012, while the loser will have to take part in zonal qualifiers next year.

Despite a busy schedule and just two days to prepare for the grass courts at Royal Sydney Golf Club, Federer said Thursday he had a good feeling about the upcoming matches.

“I’m not sore, sorry to disappoint you,” the 16-time Grand Slam winner told Australian reporters. “I’m feeling good, really good actually.”

Federer has won 17 of his 25 matches against Hewitt, but Hewitt did get a victory in their last match on grass last year in Halle, Germany.

Hewitt, who sat out the U.S. Open with a foot injury, said he was fit and looking forward to renewing his rivalry with Federer.

“It’s been what I’ve been working towards in terms of getting my game up to scratch and my body as close to 100 percent right to take on one of the greats,” Hewitt said.

“It’s going to be a tough match. Hopefully Bernie can get us off to a good start against Stan on the grass tomorrow, and then I can go out there and take Roger on.”

Hewitt won the previous time he played Federer in a Davis Cup match in Australia, a grueling five-set win that gave Australia a 2003 semifinal win over Switzerland.

“I still believe it was one of my toughest losses I ever had as a player,” Federer said, placing it even above his five-set loss to Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows last week.

“People might think Djokovic was rough, but for me that was nothing compared to the Lleyton loss back in ’03 just because I felt I should have won so bad,” he said. “I am not 22 years old any more, I am 30, so I take losses much easier, but back then it was a very tough loss for me.”

Swiss captain Severin Luthi backed star man Federer to cope with the short preparation time. "He's a great champion, we know that, and for sure it's always better if you have more days, but I'm sure that he can handle this and be ready on Friday," Luthi told reporters.

Schedule

Friday
Match 1 : Bernard Tomic (Aus) v Stanislas Wawrinka (Sui)
Match 2:  Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) v Roger Federer (Sui)

Saturday
Match 3: Hewitt / Guccione (Aus) v Federer / Wawrinka (Sui)

Sunday
Match 4: Bernard Tomic (Aus) v Roger Federer (Sui)
Match 5: Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) v Stanislas Wawrinka (Sui)

Date: 15.09.2011, Source: AP