Saturday 22 November 2014 14:35, UK
Gael Monfils levelled the Davis Cup final between France and Switzerland at 1-1 with a stunning 6-1 6-4 6-3 victory over World No 2 Roger Federer.
With France trailing after the day's opening rubber, Monfils levelled the match in emphatic style, inflicting Federer's heaviest defeat in Davis Cup competition.
The 28-year-old world No 18 banged down 10 aces and 24 winners on his way to crushing the 33-year-old world No 2 in just an hour and 46 minutes in Lille.
Federer had beaten Monfils in eight of their 10 previous meetings but came into this weekend troubled by a back injury.
The Swiss star has won 17 Grand Slams in a record-breaking career, but has not won the Davis Cup.
Earlier, Stanislas Wawrinka secured the first point of the final for Switzerland, overcoming a second-set wobble to defeat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-2.
The world no 4 was in supreme touch in the opening set, registering two breaks of serve to silence the majority of a world record crowd of 27,432 at the Pierre Mauroy stadium.
However Tsonga survived an early start at the start of the second to draw level, a double fault from Wawrinka handing him a crucial advantage in the fourth game.
The Swiss recovered from the setback and as Tsonga's standards started to slip, claimed a 4-2 lead in the crucial third set when his opponent slapped a forehand wide.
The reigning Australian Open champion sealed the set on his second opportunity with a crosscourt backhand winner and then immediately moved ahead at the start of the next.
Tsonga was broken for a second time in the set to slip 5-2 behind and Wawrinka successfully served out for the match, giving the visitors the early advantage on the opening day.
