LONDON (AP)—With Novak Djokovic on a skiing holiday and Rafael Nadal defending Spanish sports from French TV comedians, Roger Federer highlights the start of Davis Cup for the first time in eight years.
Since Federer decided to skip the first round from 2005, Switzerland hasn’t won in the World Group. But he’s changed his mind after watching the effort Stanislas Wawrinka put in last year to return the Swiss to the elite. The Davis Cup also remains the only major trophy in tennis he doesn’t own.
Federer hasn’t committed beyond the first-round series against the United States, but with him back the Swiss are title contenders. It won’t be an easy road, though. A win in Fribourg this weekend would likely send them to France in April for the quarterfinals, then possibly a home semifinal against Nadal and defending champion Spain straight after the U.S. Open in September.