Salvatore Di Nolfi / Keystone via AP
Switzerland’s Marco Chiudinelli, top , left, and his double partner, Roger Federer, top right, return a shot to the Netherlands’ Matwe Middelkoop, below left, and his double partner, Thiemo De Bakker, below right, during the their double match of the Davis Cup on Saturday.
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 | 10:08 a.m.
Roger Federer and late replacement Marco Chiudinelli missed a chance to seal Switzerland's victory in a Davis Cup relegation playoff on Saturday, losing a five-set doubles match to the Netherlands.
Dutch pair Thiemo De Bakker and Matwe Middelkoop rallied from a set down to win 7-6 (7), 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 after Federer's regular partner Stan Wawrinka scratched citing fatigue.
Switzerland leads 2-1 with second-ranked Federer due on court at Palexpo arena in the first of Sunday's reverse singles against No. 144 De Bakker.
If Federer loses, Wawrinka is scheduled to play 436th-ranked Jesse Huta Galung in a decisive fifth match.
The hard-court series decides which nation stays in the 16-team World Group next year.
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