Roger Federer wants to play in Davis Cup playoff in Italy, says Swiss captain Severin Luethi

Federer wants to play in Davis Cup playoff

GENEVA — Roger Federer reportedly wants to play in Switzerland’s Davis Cup playoff against Italy in September.

Severin Luethi, part of Federer’s coaching team, said the top-ranked player told him in May and again at Wimbledon that he intended to play in Italy.

“Nothing is definite yet, but there’s a good chance that our best players will be there,” said Luethi in Wednesday’s edition of Lausanne-based daily Le Matin. “I have to talk with him at the end of the week.”

In March, Federer sat out Switzerland’s 4-1 loss to the United States in the first round of the World Group because of a back injury.

The Swiss face Italy in a playoff at Genoa on Sept. 18-20 to stay in the elite 16-team group that has a chance to win the 2010 title.

Federer will be 29 when next year’s final is played, with few chances left to fulfill his ambition of winning a first Davis Cup title for Switzerland.

“Even if we haven’t been given an easy opponent, Federer was happy he didn’t have to play at the other end of the world,” said Luethi, the team captain.

Federer is taking a break after his wife Mirka gave birth to twin girls, Charlene Riva and Myla Rose, last week. He is scheduled to return at a tournament starting Aug. 10 in Montreal.

“If the twins are in good health, I don’t see any problem,” Luethi said of Federer playing against Italy.

The best-of-five series against Italy is to be played on outdoor clay courts. It begins five days after the men’s singles final of the U.S. Open, where Federer is the five-time defending champion.

Federer would likely team up with the 24th-ranked Stanislas Wawrinka to play singles and doubles against the Italians.