Semi final 2003

Melbourne Australia September 19 - 21

 back to main page 
 photos  articles  interviews  
Davis Cup Dreaming by Leanne Ortiz

This is the third time that these two nations have faced each other in Davis Cup, Australia having won both previous encounters; in 1930 and more recently in 2000 when Australia defeated Switzerland 3-2 in Zurich. Australia won again this weekend to achieve a fourth visit to the Final in the past five years. Winning here has guaranteed the nation the opportunity to stage the Final at home. The Australians have moved through to the semifinals relatively unchallenged helped by a team led by 2002 ITF World Champion, Lleyton Hewitt. Hewitt has been strongly supported by the talents of Mark Philippoussis, Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs. In the first round they took advantage of a depleted Great Britain team to win 4-1, and in the quarterfinals they ended Sweden's dreams of glory with a decision 5-0 victory.  The stand out matches here in Melbourne  were the doubles on Saturday where Wayne and Todd won in 5 sets and Lleyton's  5 set  'back from the dead' victory over Federer. Federer actually served for the match in the third set but was broken by Hewitt who went on to win that set in a tie break.
The Swiss team consisted of  Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, Michel Kratochvil, Ivo Heuberger and George Bastl. 

R1 - L.HEWITT (AUS) def. M.KRATOCHVIL (SUI) 6-4  6-4  6-1

R2 - R.FEDERER (SUI) def. M.PHILIPPOUSSIS (AUS) 6-3  6-4  7-6(3)

R3 - W.ARTHURS / T.WOODBRIDGE (AUS) def. R.FEDERER / M.ROSSET (SUI)
4-6  7-6(5)  5-7  6-4  6-4

R4 - L.HEWITT (AUS) def. R.FEDERER (SUI)
5-7  2-6  7-6(4)  7-5  6-1

R5 - M.KRATOCHVIL (SUI) def. T.WOODBRIDGE (AUS)
6-4 - Retired