THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GENOA, Italy — Roger Federer swept past Simone Bolelli 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 Friday to give Switzerland a 2-0 lead over Italy in the Davis Cup playoffs.
Playing only four days after his five-set loss to Juan Martin del Potro in the U.S. Open final, Federer shook off two break points in the opening game and was never in trouble again against the 64th-ranked Bolelli.
Stanislas Wawrinka opened the best-of-five series by beating Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 on the red clay courts at the Valletta Cambiaso club.
"From the Swiss side we’re very happy with today’s start. It was surprisingly comfortable matches today for Stan and myself. We expected much tougher," Federer said. "We knew these were key matches, and that we were able to get both gives us a great opportunity on the weekend."
Federer and Wawrinka, the Olympic doubles champions, will team together against Fabio Fognini and Potito Starace on Saturday, with reverse singles scheduled for Sunday.
The winner of the series will return to the World Group next year.
Bolelli trained with Federer for three days after losing in the first round in Miami earlier this year and claimed he knew the Basel native’s game well.
It looked like that might pay off early on when Bolelli forced Federer to hit a forehand into the net in the opening game, but the Swiss standout responded with an ace and another big first serve to get to deuce, and then served another ace to hold.
Federer continued to serve well throughout the match, compiling 10 aces to go with his 35 winners.
"I felt Bolelli might be the most dangerous (player on Italy’s team)," Federer said. "So I’m happy to have mastered today’s match, because under the circumstances with the jet lag and surfaces change and playing here in Italy away I knew it was always going to be a tough match."
Federer took a private jet across the Atlantic after the U.S. Open, which didn’t finish until Monday due to a rain-delayed schedule.
A large contingent of red-clad Swiss fans cheered in unison between every point, while the Italian supporters were quieter as they appreciated Federer’s game.
"The Swiss fans have a lot of songs. We’ve had wonderful support for the last few years now," said Federer, who improved his Davis Cup record to 36-11. "They always dress in red. I think they’re friends by now because of Davis Cup, which I think is a wonderful thing.
"From the Italian side I thought it was very nice. I was happy to see that they were so happy to see me. It’s not something you can always expect, especially in Davis Cup."
Federer took control with a break to go up 5-3 in the first set, using his backhand to slice a return so low that Bolelli was virtually forced to hit his reply long.
Federer had his entire game working, running around his backhand at one point to smack a forehand return winner up the line, then landing a backhand topspin lob winner off his back foot on the next point.
Rain drops fell early on but play was never suspended.
Italy captain Corrado Barazzutti acknowledged before that the key match was Seppi-Wawrinka, but Seppi struggled from the start and took a medical break between the second and third sets to address a lack of energy.
"The same thing has happened to me a few times now," said Seppi, the highest-ranked Italian at No. 59. "When I play these early matches I don’t get to have a full meal and I don’t have enough energy."
The match started at noon local time, and the 22nd-ranked Wawrinka was able to pick on Seppi’s weak second serve from the start.
Seppi and Bolelli wore black armbands to mourn six Italian soldiers killed in a bomb blast in Afghanistan on Thursday.