Federer, Wawrinka beaten by Kazakhs Golubev and Nedovyseov in Davis Cup

The high-profile Switzerland Davis Cup doubles pairing couldn't click on Saturday, as Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka were topped in just four sets by Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyseov of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev, left, watched by his doubles partner Aleksandr Nedovyesov, right, returns the ball to Switzerland's Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, during their doubles match on SatShow more

Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka lost the doubles match to Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov on Saturday, giving Kazakhstan a 2-1 lead over Switzerland in the Davis Cup quarterfinals.

Golubev and Nedovyesov never trailed after breaking Federer in the opening game and completed a 6-4, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (6) victory.

The Kazakh pair converted their first match point when Wawrinka could not control Golubev’s powerful return of Federer’s serve.

“Against those guys you have to play almost the perfect match. I’m happy that we did today,” Golubev said.

Federer and Wawrinka, the Australian Open champion, won gold in doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and were loudly supported by the 16,000 spectators in the indoor Palexpo arena.

“Pretty excited, especially that we beat the Olympic champions. It makes it special,” said Nedovyesov, who is ranked No. 76 in singles.

In Sunday’s reverse singles, No. 3-ranked Wawrinka is scheduled to play the 56th-ranked Mikhail Kukushkin before Federer takes on the 64th-ranked Golubev, who beat Wawrinka in Friday’s opening singles.

The winner plays Britain or Italy in the semifinals in September.

The Swiss were a service break up in the second set, but the Kazakhs broke back when Wawrinka served for the set at 5-3.

The visitors clinched a two-set lead when Federer sent a half-volley wide as he approached the net.

Federer and Wawrinka served out the third set after breaking in the fifth game.

Federer’s serve came under pressure again in the fourth set, trailing 0-30 when down 6-5 before forcing the tiebreaker. Switzerland held a set point but Federer’s backhand lob drifted long.

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