 Photographer: Angelo Tonelli
Date: 20 Sep 2009 |  Photographer: Angelo Tonelli
Date: 20 Sep 2009 |  Photographer: Angelo Tonelli
Date: 20 Sep 2009 |  Photographer: Angelo Tonelli
Date: 20 Sep 2009 |  Photographer: Angelo Tonelli
Date: 20 Sep 2009 |  Photographer: Angelo Tonelli
Date: 20 Sep 2009 |  Photographer: Angelo Tonelli
Date: 20 Sep 2009 |  Photographer: Angelo Tonelli
Date: 20 Sep 2009 |
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| 20 Sep 2009 - Centro Sportivo "Valletta Cambiaso", Genoa - Marco Keller - ITA v SUI | |
| Federer too strong for Italy |
Switzerland has kept its spot among the world's elite in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas. Roger Federer
defeated Potito Starace 63 60 64 in a match, which was interrupted for two hours because of rain, to give the Swiss an unassailable 3-1 lead. Fabio Fognini then gave Italy its second point by beating Michael Lammer 75 76 in the dead rubber.
Was it possible to imagine any increase to the difficulties which Roger Federer had already faced this week? A week which included a five-set loss in a Grand Slam final, a transatlantic flight and a surface and ball change and an away match in a country which had won nine of its previous ten Davis Cup home ties.
The answer is yes. When Federer stepped on court to take on Italy’s Potito Starace, substituting for Andreas Seppi, at noon, the Ligurian capital showed its grey face, it was already raining, slowly but steadily. Conditions that ideally suit Starace, who has the classical claycourt game. And Starace, who had won all of his previous ten Davis Cup singles, came out off the blocks well. He played with a lot of topspin but also included plenty of dropshots, which were extremely tough to chase down under these conditions.
Federer gets first break
However, Federer managed to fend off the danger by staying extremely focused on his own service games and got the first break to lead 5-3 after 32 minutes in the ever continuing rain.
His relief was shown by the fact that he then shouted "come on" and punched the fist. "He definitely didn't underestimate me," Starace said.
After holding comfortably to give his team the opening set, Federer played better and better. He found plenty of different angles and even showed a few of his trade mark miracle shots, which got huge appreciation from the home crowd as well. When the Swiss led 4-0, it was finally agreed to interrupt the match as conditions definitely became too slippery and dangerous.
No change after rain
Both players then had 140 minutes in the locker room to review the first part of the match and prepare their strategy for the second. However, not much changed in the encounter: Federer continued on his streak, finished the set to love and then got an early break in the third. Encouraged by the home crowd, Starace didn't accept his destiny without a fight however and hung in but never had a serious chance of breaking Federer. After 103 minutes, Federer gave Switzerland the win with a backhand volley which Starace was unable to answer.
"I’m very happy to have won the point for Switzerland so that we can play in the World Group again. I' m very happy with the quality of my game today, as I definitely didn't feel the best and had a problem on my leg, which has troubled me a bit since the final of the US Open."
It was not only Federer’s12th consecutive win in Davis Cup competition, but also the 15th time that the maestro has contributed at least two points in a tie. He now has reached 37 match wins for Switzerland, overtaken Heinz Günthardt and is joint second with Marc Rosset in the national honor roll. For now, he still is 12 wins shy of Jakob Hlasek but it's rather likely that he'll pass the mark of the former top ten player in the next years.
Despite losing his fifth encounter with Federer, Starace couldn't have many regrets:
"Today, Roger was particularly inspired. I still managed to put him into difficulties but when he got the break to lead 5-3, he raised his game in an unbelievable manner. I definitely played my best match against him, but there was not much I could do."
Related Links on other websites
> Informazione en italiano
> Infos from Swiss Tennis
Related Links on Daviscup.com
> Tie Information
> Scorecards and statistics from the tie
> Audio interviews from the tie
> Italy fights back in Genoa
> Swiss in charge in Genoa
> Federer's presence makes Swiss favourites
Related Audio
 Interview with Potito Starace (ITA) - day 3
Interview with Roger Federer (SUI) - day 3
Interview with captain Severin Luthi (SUI) - day 3
 
If you cannot hear the audio, then please update your media player by following one of the links above.
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