Tennis: Federer levels tie against Australia

World number 3 wins Davis Cup tie against Hewitt.

SYDNEY: Swiss maestro Roger Federer came back from losing the first set to see off an inspired Lleyton Hewitt and level the Davis Cup World Group playoff tie against Australia.

Playing on grass at the Royal Sydney Golf Club, 18-year-old Bernard Tomic gave the home side an early lead when he beat Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Federer then found himself under enormous pressure after losing the first set to a typically dogged Hewitt and going down a break early in the second.

But the world number three dug deep to break back and win the set on a tiebreak before pulling away to win 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 6-3.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Kei Nishikori eased to a comfortable straight-sets win against Rohan Bopanna to help Japan to a 2-0 lead over India in their Davis Cup World Group playoff tie.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17^th,  2011.