Roger Federer equals tie score; defeats Lleyton Hewitt in 2nd rubber – Davis Cup WG Play-offs 2011
With Team Australia leading the head-to-head scores 1-0 in the Davis Cup 2011 with the 1st rubber win by Bernard Tomic, Team Switzerland levelled up the scores in the second rubber as the world No.3 downed former world No.1, Lleyton Hewitt. Federer came back up from a set down to win 3 consecutive sets and took away the 2nd rubber 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-2, 6-3 in a long 2 hour and 50 minutes play.
Federer already had a 17-8 head-to-head record against the Aussie, yet Hewitt was positive for a win. However, the Swiss Maestro went on thrashing the 30-year-old and led his team to level the scores at 1-1. With both players in their 30’s, Federer opened up the rubber with a rather slow start.
Firing up with the starter, Federer won the first game and rolled down the scoreboard, 1-0. Levelling up the scores, Hewitt cleared up game 2 and switch the serve back. With scores rising up equal for the two, the Aussie broke the Swiss for the first time in the set in game 11, and served out game 12 to win the first set 7-5 and led the rubber 1-0.
With Hewitt in the command, Federer once again served the opener, this time for the 2nd set and started off positively. However, he stumbled again and lost a breakpoint, this time early in the set, serving game 3. The lead extended as the 30-year-old Aussie mustered game 4 as well, 3-1.
Federer finally switched on and took away a 3 games back-to-back win with a breakpoint win in the 6th to lead 4-3. Hewitt, however, had a strong defence and got back on level terms serving out game 8. The set eventually ended up in a tiebreak with the Swiss serving the tiebreak first. Winning the tiebreak after a long rally, Federer equalled the rubber scores, 1-1, and walked on to play the 3rdset.
The Swiss Maestro then followed on with straight wins in the rubber. Serving the first game for the first time, Hewitt broke down as the Swiss switched on his magnificence button. With score at 3-1, Federer again broke the Aussie and extended his lead to 4-1.Serving out 2 out of the next three games the world No.3 took out the 3rd set winning 6-2 and led the match for the first time.
With the decider on its way, Federer kicked off with winning game 1 of the 4thset. Hewitt stood neck-to-neck with the Swiss until the fell short and gave away a breakpoint in game 5. The former world No.1 led on to extend his lead to 4-2 and switch back the serve.
Hewitt did cut back the lead to 3-4, however, failed to regain the lead or level up as Federer served out game 8 and blistered a winning breakpoint to take off with a 6-3 set win and in effect the rubber with a startling performance.
The two teams now stand at equal terms with a rubber win each. It all falls down to the doubles rubber if not the reverse singles to determine who takes the lead amongst the two.
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