By Chris Oddo | Sunday, September 14, 2014

Roger Federer, being carried around on his teammates' shoulders in Geneva, who could have imagined it prior to the start of 2014? And yet, there was the 17-time Grand Slam champion, gleefully joining the celebration with his compatriots, just one long weekend away from the only piece of hardware that his trophy cabinet lacks.

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After Federer's rousing, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6(4) victory over Fabio Fognini, the Swiss find themselves anticipating a highly enticing Davis Cup final against the French, to be played on French soil in late November.

“It’s nice sharing emotions with your fans and close ones,” said Federer, who has won five singles matches for the Swiss in 2014, all in straight sets. “At the end I’m happy I was able to make a difference.”

Neither Federer nor Fognini produced their most scintillating tennis on a consistent basis over the course of the one hour and 59 minute contest, but it was Federer who held his nerve at the big occasions. The Swiss maestro saved all five break points he faced, including three in the fourth game of the final set and another in the sixth game of that set.

Fognini would rally from 4-1 down in the third-set tiebreaker to level at four apiece, but a Federer down the line winner gave him another mini-break lead, and he won the final two points from there to clinch the tie, sending the Swiss faithful into a frenzy.

Switzerland, which currently boasts the world’s No. 3 and No. 4 players in men’s singles, is into their first Davis Cup final in 22 years. They will face the French on the road in the final on November 21-23, in a matchup that, despite the higher rankings of the Swiss singles players, looks to be as evenly matched as any Davis Cup final in the last decade.

Surprisingly, Federer relishes the chance to play for the title on the road.

“The most classical matchups that I’ve had in my career were against France,” Federer said. “I think we always lost at home and won away, so I’m happy that the finals are away.”

Switzerland has never won the Davis Cup, while France is tied with Great Britain for third on the competition’s all-time list with nine titles.

“For all Switzerland it’s great that we’re in the finals now,” said Swiss captain Severin Luthi. “Obviously the whole tennis family in Switzerland is very happy, too. We couldn’t be happier.”