Roger Federer saves Wawrinka blushes in Davis Cup QF

Paris: Roger Federer saved Stanislas Wawrinka`s blushes after the Australian Open champion suffered a shock defeat to unheralded Kazakh Andrey Golubev in the Davis Cup quarter-finals on Friday.

The world number three was stunned 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) by 64th ranked Golubev as Kazakhstan took an early 1-0 lead over the Swiss in Geneva. But 17-time Grand Slam winner Federer then stormed to a straight sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win over Mikhail Kukushkin to level the tie. Golubev`s victory, achieved in just under three and a quarter hours, revived bad memories for Wawrinka who lost both his matches -- a singles and a doubles rubber -- in a 5-0 whitewash victory for Kazakhstan over Switzerland in Astana in 2010. "I know you`re going to consult all the sports psychologists to find out why I lost to Golubev," said Wawrinka wryly. "It came down to a few points that made the difference, which he was able to play freely." An understated Golubev said after one of his biggest career wins: "It was a great match I think for me. "The key was to try and be aggressive and not to give him too much time. I think I did good." Federer, the world number four, kept his cool to record a second stright-sets win over 56th-ranked Kukushkin in as many meetings, having beaten the Kazakh in the first round of Wimbledon in 2011. "It was important to stay calm. I was well concentrated, felt good in my legs and served well," said Federer. Title-holders Czech Republic took a 2-0 lead over Japan in Tokyo. Despite missing world number five Tomas Berdych, Radek Stepanek and Lukas Rosol claimed battling victories over a weakened Japan team, who are without talisman Kei Nishikori due to injury while Go Soeda has a virus. Stepanek beat Tatsuma Ito 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, 7-5 in the opening rubber while Rosol then overcame Taro Daniel 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2. "I`m very happy to be at 2-0," Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil told reporters. "They had nothing to lose and in the end of both matches we were a little bit lucky." Stepanek was in trouble early on against Ito and needed to make a diving volley to avoid going down two sets to love. But having won the second set tie-break, the world 47 took control against an opponent ranked almost 100 places lower than him. Rosol blew a two-set lead against a player ranked 150 places below him before pulling it together to win his first ever five-set match. Italy took a 1-0 lead over Great Britain in Naples as clay-court specialist Fabio Fognini overcame a disjointed start to beat James Ward 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. After a two-hour rain delay, Fognini took his time to get into his stride before eventually running away with it.