Australia win doubles rubber to take 2-1 lead

Lleyton Hewitt and Chris Guccione won the doubles rubber to give Australia a 2-1 lead against Roger Federer's Switzerland in the Davis Cup world group playoff tie on Saturday.

With the tie level at 1-1 after Friday's singles matches, Hewitt and Guccione came back strongly after losing the first set to defeat the Beijing Olympics gold medal winning pair of Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).

"At times I thought we were playing Pat Rafter at the net he (Hewitt) was volleying so well," Federer said after the match.

The Australian pair found their rhythm after a contentious line call went their way in the fifth game of the second set.

Federer challenged the call after the ball was called in but with the umpire unsighted the point stood and Australia had a break point which they duly converted.

Former World No. 1 Hewitt first chose Federer and then his partner for praise.

"He was too good for me yesterday but doubles is a different competition," Hewitt said. "There's something special about team competition. For me I leave all my passion out here."

Australia will need one more victory from the remaining two rubbers on Sunday to return to the elite world group for the first time since 2007.

Teenager Bernard Tomic will take on Federer while Hewitt will play Wawrinka in the reverse singles matches on Sunday.