Swiss await hero Federer's return after compatriot falls

Swiss Stephane Bohli failed to give the home crowd a winning start ahead of Roger Federer's opener here, with the number 148 journeyman losing 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 in the first-round to Italy's Andreas Seppi at the Swiss Indoors on Monday.

The result in two and a half hours was not what the home crowd at the St Jakobshalle would have wanted prior to the operatic concert which was preceding Federer's opening match with qualifier Olivier Rochus.

Bohli, now 0-4 at the ATP level this season, sprang a surprise on Seppi by winning the first set before the 51st-ranked Italian pulled his game together.

After winning the second, he had to hold off a last-gasp charge from the Swiss, who trailed 1-4 in the final set.

Bohli pulled to 4-all before Seppi held and then broke in the final game to reach the second round.

Federer, the world number one, will start his campaign for a fourth straight trophy at the event which is perhaps closest to his heart, the tournament where he got his start as a ballboy a decade and a half ago.

The top seed has not played since helping his nation retain their place in the Davis Cup World Group with a win over Italy in September - Federer chose to rest rather than play the autumn tournaments in Asia.

The 15-time grand slam champion has laid low and got to know his three-month old twin girls as he assumed his additional new role as a father.

In the day's opening contest, Frenchman Florent Serra survived 15 aces off the racket of serve machine Ivo Karlovic but still subdued the Croatian 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

Federer's opening opponent Rochus played the Stockholm final eight days ago, losing to former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis.

Federer has not lost in Basel, his hometown, since the second round in 2003 when he was beaten by Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.

The Swiss who plans to go flat-out through this week, the Paris Masters starting Monday and the year-end eight-man World Tour Finals in London, brings a 55-8 record this season to the court, with titles in Paris and Wimbledon as well as the Madrid and Cincinnati Masters events.