DAVIS CUP 2014 FEDERER SAVES SWISS HOPES; MONFILS COMPLETES FRENCH COMEBACK World Group, Quarter-finals by ATP Staff | 06.04.2014 Wawrinka © Reuters/Action Images Stanislas Wawrinkas victory to open Sundays proceedings triggered Switzerlands win over Kazakhstan. ATPWorldTour reviews Sundays Davis Cup quarter-final action. SWITZERLAND 3, KAZAKHSTAN 2 Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland (Hard, Indoor) Roger Federer won his first live fifth Davis Cup rubber on Sunday to power Switzerland into the World Group semi-finals for the first time since 2003. Federer defeated Andrey Golubev 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-3, denying Kazakhstan its first semi-final berth. Golubev was unable to conjure the magic that saw him upset Stanislas Wawrinka to open the tie on Friday, succumbing in two hours and 13 minutes. “It’s great. I was hoping so much I was going to get a chance to play and not just watch Stan play,” said Federer. “I got the opportunity and I’m happy I lived up to the hype and the expectations, and I was able to get the boys through so very happy for them. It was the World No. 5s tour-leading 24th match victory of the year, remaining two wins ahead of Marin Cilic. Cilic Rallies Past Janowicz To Send Croatia To World Group Play-offs Earlier in the day, Wawrinka kept Swiss hopes afloat after rallying past Mikhail Kukushkin 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Wawrinka hammered 25 aces and won a staggering 94 per cent of first serve points (59/63) to defeat Kukushkin in three hours and nine minutes. The Swiss fired 65 winners, including 12 from his backhand wing. The Kazakhs had previously completed a whitewash of the 1992 finalists Switzerland in their only prior meeting, in 2010. Switzerland will host Italy in the semi-finals. The Italians lead the all-time head-to-head 3-2, with the Swiss claiming their most recent encounter in 2009. FRANCE 3, GERMANY 2 Venue: Palais Des Sports Jean Weille, Nancy, France (hard – indoor) Gael Monfils completed Frances stunning comeback from an 0-2 deficit, eliminating Germany with a 6-1, 7-6(0), 6-2 victory over Peter Gojowczyk. It was just the eighth 0-2 comeback in Davis Cup World Group competition and the fourth for France in its history.Monfils The French squad found themselves in need of a reverse singles sweep on Sunday after claiming the doubles rubber behind a strong performance from Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra. After Jo-Wilfried Tsonga drew the nine-time champion level in Nancy, hitting 10 aces and 45 winners overall to beat Tobias Kamke 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, French captain Arnaud Clement called on Monfils to sub for Benneteau in the decider. Clement would be rewarded, as the World No. 25 needed just one hour and 52 minutes to improve to 8-2 in Davis Cup play, breaking Gojowczyk on five occasions and firing 15 aces. I think I played a great match, said Monfils. Im excited to bring the deciding point to my team. We really want to have a great year in Davis Cup. We knew there were no errors to make mistakes. France advances to the semi-finals for the third time in the past five years, where they will face two-time defending Czech Republic. Germany was bidding to reach the stage for the first time since 2007. It was the first time since the World Group began in 1981 that three of the four quarter-finals were decided on a fifth rubber.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Apr 2014 06:17:40 +0000
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