Federer's Davis Cup Dream
This past weekend on red clay courts in Italy barely four days after losing the 2009 U.S. Open Men’s Singles title to Juan Martin del Potro, Roger Federer led the Swiss Davis Cup team to a World Group qualifying play-off victory over Italy. As a result, the Swiss team will
compete in the 2010 Davis Cup World Group. For Federer, winning the 2010 Davis Cup title would be the icing on a very multi-layered cake which now includes not only fifteen Grand Slam titles, but also a “career Slam.”
As Federer plans his 2010 schedule, he will now not only be juggling his quest for more Grand Slam titles and a desire to maintain his Number One ranking, but also a serious chance to finally win the Davis Cup title. With Swiss Number Two, Stan Wawrinka, Federer has a talented singles and doubles player to help Switzerland pursue a Davis Cup title. Together, Federer and Wawrinka captured a Gold Medal in doubles for Switzerland at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Nonetheless, it’s unlikely that Federer will sacrifice his other goals for 2010 in the exclusive pursuit of Davis Cup glory. In addition, travelling with twins has to add a few more challenges to Federer’s life regardless of how many nannies and private jets he has to help care for the girls. Winning a Davis Cup team title will remain a complicated quest because of the difficult timing of the Davis Cup ties around the Grand Slams, as well as the switching of surfaces – one day it was fast hard courts in NYC at the U.S. Open and a few days later it was slow red clay in Italy. If Federer can manage to maintain his form at the Grand Slams, compete for the top ranking and capture the Davis Cup with his Swiss teammates in 2010, then he will have achieved a monumental victory not only for himself, but also for Swiss tennis and for the prestige of the Davis Cup itself.
As Federer plans his 2010 schedule, he will now not only be juggling his quest for more Grand Slam titles and a desire to maintain his Number One ranking, but also a serious chance to finally win the Davis Cup title. With Swiss Number Two, Stan Wawrinka, Federer has a talented singles and doubles player to help Switzerland pursue a Davis Cup title. Together, Federer and Wawrinka captured a Gold Medal in doubles for Switzerland at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Nonetheless, it’s unlikely that Federer will sacrifice his other goals for 2010 in the exclusive pursuit of Davis Cup glory. In addition, travelling with twins has to add a few more challenges to Federer’s life regardless of how many nannies and private jets he has to help care for the girls. Winning a Davis Cup team title will remain a complicated quest because of the difficult timing of the Davis Cup ties around the Grand Slams, as well as the switching of surfaces – one day it was fast hard courts in NYC at the U.S. Open and a few days later it was slow red clay in Italy. If Federer can manage to maintain his form at the Grand Slams, compete for the top ranking and capture the Davis Cup with his Swiss teammates in 2010, then he will have achieved a monumental victory not only for himself, but also for Swiss tennis and for the prestige of the Davis Cup itself.
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