LAUSANNE (Switzerland), Sept 17: Roger Federer is hoping his return to form can help take his country back into the World Group of the Davis Cup this weekend when Switzerland battle Belgium.

Federer, 27, bounced back from the disappointment of losing his Wimbledon crown in July to win Olympic gold in doubles with Davis Cup colleague Stanislas Wawrinka. He then won his fifth consecutive US Open title, and his 13th Grand Slam overall, to prevent what would have been his first season since 2002 without a major title.

“I think the Olympic gold medal definitely inspired me,” Federer told a media conference on Tuesday. “I was disappointed to lose in the quarter-finals (of the Olympic singles) but I didn’t play terribly then or throughout the summer.”

Swiss captain Severin Luethi said he had yet to decide if Federer would pair up with Wawrinka again in Saturday’s doubles or play with regular Cup partner Yves Allegro.

Either way, Federer said his return to action in the team competition would bring back memories of his Olympic triumph.

“For sure it’s very similar to the Olympic Games,” stated Federer, who was deposed as world number one by Rafael Nadal in August.“We have a really nice team here, the doubles was great over there. It was a dream come true to win gold for Switzerland and now here we go again.

“It’s happened very few times that I have won a Grand Slam and then come straight on to a Davis Cup tie, and it’s a nice scenario to share that victory with the Swiss people.”

Federer has opted to skip the early stages of the Davis Cup in recent seasons, returning only to help the team in their efforts to avoid relegation from the World Group.

The strategy, aimed at allowing Federer to focus on his individual schedule, backfired last year when a full-strength Swiss team were upset 3-2 in the Czech Republic, consigning Switzerland to the Europe/Africa Zone Group One.

“I said a few years ago that I wanted to concentrate on keeping my number one ranking, that I hoped the team could win without me and that I would then return for the quarter-finals,” Federer recalled on Tuesday.

“Unfortunately it didn’t work out quite the way we had planned.”

Federer said he hoped to make the Davis Cup more of a priority in the future, but that it was too early to say if he would play in Switzerland’s opening tie next year.

“The first thing we have to do is beat Belgium, and we won’t be underestimating them,” he expressed.

“If we do get back into the World Group we’ll have to see what happens then.

“The schedule is certainly looking kinder for next year. Getting the world number one ranking back is still my main priority but I’ve said before that I want to win everything there is to win and the Davis Cup is part of that.”

—Reuters