Roger Federer hopes to recapture the emotion of Switzerland’s 2001 Davis Cup victory against the United States when they meet again in the first round this weekend.

Federer says the Swiss win exactly 11 years ago was “my first emotional outburst” on court after he went unbeaten through two singles matches and the doubles encounter.

Now 30, Federer says that win was “a start of great things for me,” as several months later at Wimbledon he beat four-time defending champion Pete Sampras.

Federer has skipped the first round of the Davis Cup since 2004, and facing the Americans has caused major changes in his program.

He hasn’t played on clay so early in the season since 2004 in Romania, and last played in Europe in February seven years ago.

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