Federer targets Swiss Davis Cup return

ESTORIL (Portugal)—Roger Federer will be ready to ride to the Davis Cup rescue for Switzerland after the nation was drawn on Wednesday to face visiting near-neighbor Belgium in the World Group playoffs in September.
With his mind on his clay-court debut this week at the Estoril Open and a Thursday second-round match with Romanian Victor Hanescu looming, the world number one nevertheless remains ready to spare a thought for his Davis teammates. At the weekend, Stan Wawrinka led the nation down the comeback road with his pair of singles wins in the 4-1 defeat of Balarus in Minsk. That victory set the stage for Federer to come on board for the September 19-21 tie which could cement the former finalist nation back in the elite grouping of the worldwide competition.
“The chances are very good that I will play,” Federer confirmed at Estoril, where he is competing at a small pre-Paris event for the first time since winning Munich in 2003. “I’m proud the team could win over Belarus without me. It’s a great effort. “I’d love to get Switzerland back into the World Group. I’d say my decision is pretty much taken.”
Should he need any convincing, Swiss Davis Cup coach Severin Luethi is on hand this week in Estoril as part of ‘Team Federer’, working with the star pupil alongside Federer’s new provisional coach Jose Higueras.
Switzerland and Belgium last played in Brussels in 1999, with the hosts winning. Federer’s way in the top half of the 32-man Estoril draw is looking clear, with the defeat of fourth seed Jarkko Nieminen eliminating any Top 50 player from Federer’s side. The Swiss is working on confidence this week as he trials Higueras, with the possibility that the 55-year-old could be brought on board for the clay season and perhaps beyond. “I’ve not had too many days on clay, it will be tough to change surface for all players,” said Federer, in the chase for the only grand slam to have eluded him, the French Open. “I hope I can then get on a roll. I hope Estoril will pay off and I can do well at other events especially Roland Garros.” In second-round play on a quiet scheduling day at the Estadio Nacional, seventh seed Marc Gicquel eliminated French compatriot Thierry Ascione 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. The women’s draw lost its top seed as former semi-finalist Flavia Pennetta crashed out to Czech Iveta Benesova 6-2, 6-2. French eighth seed Camille Pin reached the quarter-finals over Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 6-3, 6-4.—Agencies