Australia are likely to stage this year's Davis Cup final on grass after beating Switzerland in the semi-final in Melbourne today. Lleyton Hewitt clawed back from two sets and 3-5 down to put Australia into the November 28-30 final with a 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5, 6-1 victory over Switzerland's Roger Federer in the first of the reverse singles, giving Australia an unbeatable 3-1 lead.
"I think there's a fair chance (of playing the final on grass)," captain John Fitzgerald said moments after Hewitt's exhilarating victory...I know that Spain were leading Argentina (in the other semi-final) overnight, so there's a good chance we'll play against Spain and I think grass would be probably their least favourite surface. There's a chance and it's our prerogative... we played in Spain in a final a few years ago and it was rough and it was on clay."
Australia used a grass surface for the 2001 final against France, but the tie proved a disaster, with the French defying the odds and winning 3-2.
Before the start of today's reverse singles, Spain lead Argentina 2-1 in Malaga. Argentina's Lucas Arnold and Agustin Calleri kept alive their hopes with a tough 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over gritty Spaniards Alex Corretja and Albert Costa.
Filed by James Boylan
