Melbourne, Sept 22: Lleyton Hewitt gives Australia an unbeatable 3-1 lead in their Davis Cup semi-final against Switzerland. Lleyton Hewitt gave Australia an unbeatable 3-1 lead in their Davis Cup semi-final against Switzerland in Melbourne on Sunday (September 21), recovering from two sets down to beat Wimbledon champion Roger Federer 5-7 2-6 7-6 7-5 6-1 in an enthralling battle. Australia will play either Spain or Argentina in the November final. Federer, needing a victory to keep the tie alive for Switzerland, broke Hewitt's serve in the second game of the match but the former world number one broke back in the next game. Hewitt's serve failed him again in the 12th game as he put a backhand into the net on break point to hand the world number three the first set.

Down three break points at 2-3, Hewitt could save only one before dropping serve again in the sixth game of the second set.


Federer was serving for the match at 5-3 in the third set but the determined Hewitt broke back and forced a tie-break which he won 7-4 on his second set point.


Federer, who took a break off court after losing the third set, made two successive errors in the sixth game to drop serve and trail 2-4 in the fourth set. He looked vulnerable as he missed a smash then put a forehand long.


Serving again at 5-6 to stay in the fourth set, Federer was pushed to deuce and served a double fault before Hewitt hit an off-balance backhand volley winner to take the set.


As Federer began to tire in his third match in three days, Hewitt broke the world number three's serve in the fourth and sixth games before clinching the match with a fine smash after three and a half hours play.


It was Federer's first loss in 11 Davis Cup singles rubbers, nine of which were straight-set victories. Hewitt, 22, has won eight of the 10 meetings between the pair.



Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge ground out an exciting five-set victory over Federer and Swiss captain Marc Rosset on Saturday (September 20) to give Australia a 2-1 lead. The hosts squeezed home 4-6 7-6 5-7 6-4 6-4 in a doubles encounter that lasted three hours 17 minutes.


The semi-final tie was level after Friday's (September 19) singles when Hewitt beat Switzerland's world number 129 Michel Kratochvil 6-4 6-4 6-1 and Wimbledon runner-up Mark Philippoussis lost to Federer 3-6 4-6 6-7.


After Hewitt's win on Sunday, Australia's Todd Woodbridge retired in the dead fifth rubber after losing the first set 4-6 to Michel Kratochvil. Australia have won 27 Davis Cup titles and been losing finalists 19 times.


Bureau Report