Gael Monfils stunned Roger Federer in straight sets to leave France and Switzerland level 1-1 after the first day of the Davis Cup final in Lille on Friday.
The flamboyant Frenchman clobbered a below-par Federer 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 in just 1 hour, 46 minutes.
It was just the second time that Federer had lost a Davis Cup singles rubber in straight sets — the other coming in his 1999 debut against Gianluca Pozzi of Italy.
Photo: EPA
Earlier, Stan Wawrinka had given the Swiss favorites a 1-0 lead by outplaying French No. 1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Federer took an 8-2 winning head-to head record against Monfils into the rubber.
However, his preparations for his first-ever Davis Cup final took a hit on Saturday last week when he injured his back playing, ironically against Wawrinka, in the last four of the ATP World Tour finals in London.
Photo: Reuters
He subsequently pulled out of the final against Novak Djokovic and was unable to practice on the indoor claycourt at Lille soccer stadium until Wednesday evening.
The French, who had no players qualified for London, had two weeks training on clay in Bordeaux and it showed, as Monfils opened with an ace and had Federer on the back foot from the start.
A superb backhand passing shot brought up break point for Monfils in the fourth game and he then forced a backhand return into the next to move 3-1 up.
Photo: AFP
Federer looked slow and uncomfortable, especially on the backhand flank, and he surrendered his serve again two games later as the first set slipped away from him in just 32 minutes.
The rubber was unwinding at breakneck speed and it was a poor Federer forehand into the bottom of the net that gave Monfils the first break of the second set.
The way the Parisian was serving, with nine aces up to that point, made it a steep hill to climb for Federer and he made no further inroads as he dropped the second set 6-4.
The Swiss star, 37-7 in Davis Cup singles, desperately needed to get his nose in front to try and put some pressure on the Monfils serve.
He did manage to hold his first two serves in the third set, but Monfils held firm and then the Frenchman struck what proved to be a fatal blow in the fifth game.
A typically sliding backhand passing shot set up break point, which was promptly secured when a dispirited-looking Federer slapped a forehand well wide.
There was no way back for the 17-time Grand Slam title winner, who is playing in his first Davis Cup final at the age of 33.
Monfils clinched a famous and surprisingly easy win with a typically flashy backhand drive down the line from well behind the baseline.
It was the first time that Monfils had beaten Federer on clay and it could not have come at a more opportune moment.
Given the low-key showing he produced on Friday, doubts persist that Federer might not be able to complete the tie in the reverse singles today, following the doubles overnight which was to see the French pair of Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet go up against Marco Chiudinelli and Michael Lammer.
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