http://www.daviscup.org/news/matchreport.asp?id=12395#
05 Apr 2003 - Le Zenith, Toulouse, FRA - Lewis Cumberland
Federer and Rosset Keep Swiss Hopes Alive With Victory in Saturday’s Doubles
The captain of each team has one hour before the match to change his team.
Guy Forget is familiar with this rule and took advantage of it. He selected
Nicolas Escude instead of Michael Llodra to play alongside Fabrice Santoro
in the doubles match against playing- captain Marc Rosset and Roger Federer
in the quarterfinals of the 2003 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas.
Ironically, the first player to lose his serve was Nicolas Escude at 2-2.
With the Swiss pair up a break, they were able to loosen up and Roger Federer
was able, once again, to demonstrate the level of tennis he has been
producing for the past three months with, amongst other magical shots, a
delicate touch drop shot volley that even “battling” Fabrice Santoro was
not able to reach. The first set was won by the Swiss pair 6-4 in 30 minutes.
Despite a triple break opportunity for the French at 1-0, all four servers
held their serve. Although down 0-30, Escude was able, this time, to hold
on to his serve and give a 3-2 lead to France. For the second time in the
set the undefeated French doubles team were offered a double break
opportunity. An opportunity, which they did not relinquish. And in no time
at all the French were up 5-2. Federer brought the Swiss back to 5-3,
followed by Escude who brought France back to one set apiece: 6-3 in 35
minutes.
Just as in the first two sets, the early break was again part of the
scenario in the third. This time it was Santoro’s turn to experience a
loss of concentration while serving. With two double faults and an unforced
error from the Frenchman, the visiting team was soon up 4-1 in the third
set. Serves were held and Federer was given a double set point opportunity.
Santoro returned down the line and saved set point number one. Escude
returned into the feet of giant Marc Rosset and saved set point number
two. However, the Swiss were offered a third set point that this time
they could not refuse. Switzerland was now up two sets to one, winning
the third 6-3 in 38 minutes.
The only player that had not lost his serve yet in the tie was Roger
Federer. However his turn was to come at 1-0 in the fourth. With a
2-0 lead, France, maybe a little over confident and with a Fabrice
Santoro that has seen better days, immediately lost their advantage
and the Swiss easily came back to level the set two games a piece.
Serve was held for the next six games but at 5-5 the pressure was
on veteran Santoro’s shoulders. The Frenchman had lost his serve twice
previously but held on to this one and gave a 6-5 lead to the French.
It was now the turn of another veteran to try not to choke: Marc Rosset.
His experience played a vital role and he managed to hold serve to take
the set to a tense tiebreak. With serves dominating, the score went to
4-4 in the tiebreak, when Escude lost his second serve giving the Swiss a
5-4 lead with Federer serving. At 6-4 the Swiss had two match points to
give them a 2-1 lead in the tie. They seized the opportunity and clinched
the fourth set 76(4) in 60 minutes.
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erase all the memories
they will only bring us pain
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