Davis Cup Roundup: Federer helps Swiss win

Roger Federer guided Switzerland to victory in their Davis Cup World Group playoff tie against the Netherlands with an easy 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Thiemo de Bakker on Sunday.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion, beaten by Novak Djokovic in the US Open final a week ago, recovered after losing Saturday's doubles with Marco Chiudinelli to give the Swiss a decisive 3-1 lead and secure their World Group spot.

Switzerland, winners last year, were beaten by Belgium in the opening round in March when neither Federer nor Stan Wawrinka lined up for the Swiss.

Federer, however, could well decide to miss next year's Davis Cup.

"My idea was never to win it twice, the idea was always to win it once and we did that in front of a record crowd, which was a great moment for us all," Federer told the Davis Cup website.

"I see this tie in isolation. Next year is an Olympic year. The summer will be very long and packed with highlights. It's all a question of priorities. I can't play everything and of course if I do play Davis Cup other things have to drop out."

Classy Murray sends Britain into final

Britain reached the Davis Cup final for the first time in 37 years as Andy Murray outclassed Australia's Bernard Tomic in straight sets to give them an unbeatable 3-1 lead.

World No 3 Murray had teamed up with brother Jamie to win a thrilling five-set doubles rubber against Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Groth on Saturday to leave the hosts needing to win just one of Sunday's reverse singles.

The 28-year-old, who became the first Briton to win the Wimbledon men's singles in 77 years in 2013, duly delivered his third point of the match, beating an increasingly dispirited Tomic 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 to wild cheers from a partisan Glasgow crowd.

In doing so, and setting up a final away to Belgium, Murray improved his record in Davis Cup singles to 25-2 -- an impressive contribution and the main reason Britain have risen from the depths of the competition in 2010 to within one victory of their first title since 1936.

"Obviously, winning for your country and your team mates means a lot. The crowd were unbelievable from the first ball to the last," Murray told the BBC.

"I didn't feel great the whole weekend to be honest, I've been struggling with my back, but I just tried to disguise it. We've got everyone here, mother, father, wife, grandmother, mother-in-law, aunties and uncles.

"I'm delighted to get through, we knew this would be difficult, Australia have so much depth and experience but we fought extremely hard all weekend."

Australia captain Wally Masur said Murray had been the difference between the sides.

"Andy was like a locomotive this weekend," he said.

"I think you walk away from those ties and say: 'Where do we need to get better?' and 'What do I need to improve?'. I think Andy showed our boys."

Murray will need to summon one final effort at the end of the season when Britain will face Belgium, probably in Brussels, on November27-29 after they edged past Argentina 3-2 on Sunday.

Belgium back in Davis Cup final after 111 years

Steve Darcis completed a thrilling comeback to send Belgium into their first Davis Cup final for more than 100 years on Sunday, winning the deciding fifth rubber against Argentina.

The hosts had trailed 2-1 overnight but world number 15 David Goffin crushed Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 levelled things up and then Darcis, roared on by home fans in the Forest National, fought past Federico Delbonis 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(3).

Darcis had squandered two match points at 5-4 in the fourth set but after forging ahead in the tiebreak he powered away a smash to end the contest and was immediately mobbed by his team mates who rushed on to court to celebrate.

Belgium, who have never won the team competition, will have home advantage against Andy Murray's Britain who reached their first final for 37 years by beating Australia.

Fognini led Italy against Russia

Fabio Fognini led Italy against Russia in Irkutsk, beating Teymuraz Gabashvili in Sunday's first reverse singles as Italy eventually triumphed 4-1.

It proved to be a fantastic weekend for Fognini who won his singles match on Friday before helping Simone Bolelli to win Saturday's doubles encounter.

Croatia guaranteed their place in the World Group with a 3-1 win in Florianopolis when Brazilian Thomas Bellucci retired in the fourth set against 18-year-old Borna Coric.

Bellucci was two sets to one down and losing 4-0 in the fourth set when he withdrew with back pains.

He had beaten Mate Delic to give Brazil a 1-0 lead on Friday but Coric beat Joao Souza in the second singles rubber and Croatia edged ahead in winning Saturday's doubles.