Lille, France (CNN) -- Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka each faced questions heading into Switzerland's Davis Cup final in France. 

For Federer, how would his tender back hold up? 

For Wawrinka, would he recover after a tough -- and contentious -- loss to his higher-profile Swiss at the World Tour Finals in London last week? 

We got our answers Friday at the Stade Pierre Mauroy on a record setting day in Lille -- but for once Federer wasn't the one rewriting the history books. 

In front of the largest ever tennis crowd for a pro match -- at 27,432 it eclipsed the 27,200 that turned up to watch Spain beat the U.S. in a converted Seville bullring in the 2004 Davis Cup final -- Federer not only fell to Gael Monfils but couldn't put up much of a fight. 

The 6-1 6-4 6-3 result against Monfils -- who piped down his histrionics -- marked his most lopsided defeat in 45 singles matches in the competition. 

"You accept the fact that you're playing the way you feel," Federer told reporters. "But it wasn't all negative. I started to feel better as the match went on. That's very encouraging, I must say." 

Also encouraging for Federer and the Swiss, Wawrinka thumped a listless Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-2 to begin the day. 

Federer's performance, coupled with France's apparent advantage in Saturday's doubles, means it's the home team who'll be happier come the end of play. 

One of the two major titles to elude Federer in his glittering career is a Davis Cup crown and how disappointed he must have been that on his debut in a Davis Cup final he was at less than full strength. 
Were they playing football?
In front of the largest ever tennis crowd for a pro match