Federer sends Switzerland to first Davis Cup final in 22 years
GENEVA -- Roger Federer has taken Switzerland to its first Davis Cup final in 22 years, beating Fabio Fognini of Italy in the opening reverse singles Sunday for a winning 3-1 lead in their semifinal.
Federer celebrated with skipping jumps across the court on completing a 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (4) win against the 17th-ranked Fognini.
''It's fabulous to share in this moment,'' Federer said in an on-court interview after being hoisted on the shoulders of teammate Stan Wawrinka and captain Severin Luethi for a lap of honor round the court.
Their celebrations delighted a noisy 18,000-plus crowd at Palexpo indoor arena.
Switzerland will play at France in the final on Nov. 21-23. The French beat two-time defending champion Czech Republic this weekend.
Switzerland has never won the 114-year-old competition, and lost its only final in 1992 against a United States team of Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, John McEnroe and Pete Sampras.
In Federer's only previous Davis Cup semifinal 11 years ago, he lost a decisive reverse singles match against Lleyton Hewitt in Australia.
''After the difficult defeat in 2003 we had another chance this year,'' Federer said.
Federer improved to 3-0 against Fognini, who again failed to win a set off the third-ranked Swiss.
The key point in the tiebreaker was Federer's forehand crosscourt return of serve for a winner to lead 5-4. He followed with an ace, and then won a rally on Fognini's serve when the Italian netted a forehand.
Federer was rarely troubled in the first set after firing an ace to save a break-point chance in his second service game.
He broke Fognini's service to lead 4-2 and clinched when the Italian was frustrated by more service trouble with double faults and a foot fault.
A rare failure of Federer's forehand saw three break-point chances slip in Fognini's opening service of the second set.
Federer forced a 5-3 lead when Fognini netted a forehand and slammed his racket to the floor.
The Italian right-hander played his best tennis yet in a dynamic rally to save Federer's first set-point chance, before failing to handle the next service.
Fognini raised his play in the third set, forcing four break-point chances which Federer saved, and punching the air when good defense won a key point on his own serve.
In a series of longer rallies, Fognini's varied play moved Federer around the court but could not create a decisive break.