Roger Federer upbeat despite humiliating Davis Cup loss to Gael Monfils

Seventeen-time Grand Slam champion, Roger Federer, sounded surprisingly upbeat despite enduring his worst ever Davis Cup defeat, stating that instead of playing for the score, he was playing to get back into the match.

Though Federer was thrashed 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 by fiery Frenchman Gael Monfils, the Swiss champion opted to dismiss the downsides and ponder on the positives. Sidelined by a bad back for five days, leading into his first rubber in a Davis Cup final, Federer said that he was listening to his body as Monfils bombarded him from all angles.

The Swiss said that as the match went on, he just started to loosen up, and added that apart from hitting 30 big serves, he needed to slide, be in defense, and had to play offensive tennis, Stuff.co.nz reported.

He admitted that Monfils did well to get in front, and then the Frenchman was able to stretch the lead early in the second set.

More than physical, it was the psychological side of things that caused problems for Federer, who has had a history of back pain throughout his career. It is something he has learned to live and play with over the course of time.

The world number two said that a back issue, is just one of those feelings one feels uncomfortable with. He claimed that though one doesn't have to be in unbelievably excruciating pain, it takes a while for it to leave the mind, describing it like a 'ghost'.

Federer added that playing three sets definitely gave him a lot of information.

The Swiss maestro and national team captain Severin Luthi, will have to decide who would play in Saturday's doubles and Sunday's reverse singles, as the final is delicately poised at 1-1, the report added.