Roger Federer leads Switzerland to glory after crushing Robin Haase – Davis Cup WG Play-off 2012
World number one, Roger Federer, slays the Dutch top ranked star, Robin Haase, with a breadstick at the Davis Cup World Group Play-off 2012 on Sunday. He jolted down a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 against the Dutch star to retain his nation’s World Group status.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion, Federer showed top notch performance to outgun Haase in their first encounter. As a result, he not only improved to a 1-0 lifetime in the FedEx ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Head 2 Head Series against the Dutch
but also recorded a 3-2 victory against the home nation.
“The first set actually on the score looks the easiest but could have been one of the tougher ones”, Federer said. “The result doesn’t always show how tough it was. But I was in control most of the time.”
Federer unleashed flurry of groundstrokes after entering the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He jumped to a 3-0 lead with a break of serve. After Haase held his serve in the fourth game, the Swiss pocketed the last three games and pulled out
the opener with a breadstick.
The Swiss Maestro maintained consistency in his game in the next set. He got the desiderated break in the third game and leaped to a 3-1 lead. Federer swiped his remaining serves with conviction and eventually sealed the set by winning six games to four.
The 31-year-old kept momentum rolling in set number three. He smoothly plucked his entire serves with self-assurance. Federer got the breakthrough in the fifth game and clinched the set with a 6-4 score line.
Haase wasn’t at his best in the battle. He reflected afterwards:
“Incredibly difficult. It’s the spin and speed he puts on the ball that stand out. I can hit a ball ten centimetres from his baseline and he gets it back deep into my court, with no trouble at all. When he hits the ball ten centimetres from my baseline,
it’s a totally different shot and I’m barely able to keep the ball in play."
As a result, Switzerland retained their World Group Status at the Davis Cup.
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