One-man band Federer frightens the French
PARIS: Roger Federer's one-man assault on the Davis Cup will be fully tested in this week's quarter-finals when the World No 1 leads the Swiss challenge against France in Lausanne.
The Basel maestro has produced some heroic performances for his country over the last few years in both singles and doubles, but the absence of a reliable second singles player has meant his efforts have so far fallen short.
It's the same old story this year, with Federer rising to new heights after his win in the Australian Open. Michel Kratochvil is once again his backup, but after showing promise early in his career, he has failed to blossom.
Federer arrived back home from the United States sufferring from stomach pains, but insists he will have recovered in time for today.
“If I was unable to be 100% fit for the match with France, I would not risk playing,” he said.
That's bad news for France who have lost their No 1 Sebastien Grosjean to a virus and who will look to Arnaud Clement to reproduce the form he showed in defeating Croatia in the last round when he won both his singles rubbers.
It was Federer who inspired the Swiss to a 3-2 win over France the last time the two countries met in Toulouse in 2002 and he will be the key factor once again playing in singles and doubles.
“Roger on his own is capable of winning two and a half points,” said France captain Guy Forget. “But our players have the abilities to beat the Swiss No 2, no matter who they select. So the doubles will be crucial.”
Therein lies the big question mark of the tie with Swiss captain Marc Rosset leaving open the possibility of playing himself alongside Federer in the doubles.
Without a win in the Davis Cup since 1995, US coach Pat McEnroe believes that in Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish in the singles and the Bryan twins Bob and Mike in the doubles he has the formula to end the drought.
The Americans take on Mats Wilander's Sweden in Delray Beach and McEnroe says that the glory days could be back.
“I think we can reasonably say now we have a very good chance to win the Davis Cup,” he said.
“By no means are we the clear favourite, but when you look at Spain and France and anyone else that has done well the last couple of years, I don't think there's one team that's a clear favourite every year.
“There is too much depth, but I think we've set the stage for the next number of years we're certainly going to be in the hunt. That was my goal coming in as captain .... to get a team that could potentially win it every year.”
Spain will start favourites in Majorca to Holland, but there are stamina doubts surrounding their top player Juan Carlos Ferrero who had to pull out of last month's Masters Series events in the US after contracting chickenpox.
Ferrero is slated to play singles alongside Carlos Moya with the latest Spanish teen sensation Raphael Nadal going in the doubles. – AFP
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