Tennis: Rafter expects fired up Federer for playoff tie

Davis Cup tennis captain Pat Rafter expects Australia to face a fired up Roger Federer in this week's World Group playoff tie.

The winner, on grass at Royal Sydney Golf Club starting on Friday, will be promoted to the World Group for next year.

Federer is in transit to Australia after losing to Novak Djokovic in the USA Open semi-finals in New York.

Asked if he expected a fired-up and an angry Federer, Rafter said: "Yes, he's coming down here not to stuff around, he wants to win.

"It's a long way to come, as he said earlier in the week, and obviously he's coming in very late, so he's here to win.

"That obviously puts us under a lot more pressure. He's obviously one of the greatest grass courters of all time, but we're looking to try to take down Wawrinka.

"But every surface you put Federer on we are always going to struggle against, so hopefully the boys are going to be all ready to try and beat Wawrinka and hopefully win the doubles."

Rafter said grass was Australia's preferred surface for the tie, because it was the weakness of Switzerland's second singles player Stanislas Wawrinka.

He was pleased with the court to be used for the tie and happy with the way team stalwart Lleyton Hewitt was looking after the veteran missed the US Open with a foot injury.

- AAP