Davis Cup final: France drop Nicolas Mahut for doubles against Belgium

Posted: Nov 23, 2017

Davis Cup Final: France v Belgium
Venue: Pierre Mauroy Stadium, Lille, France Dates: 24-26 November
Coverage: Watch live on BBC Sport website and Connected TV 13:00-21:00 (Fri), 13:00-20:00 (Sat), 12:30-20:30 (Sun)

France captain Yannick Noah has dropped Nicolas Mahut and Julien Benneteau from the doubles before the Davis Cup final against Belgium begins on Friday.

They have been replaced by Richard Gasquet and Pierre-Hugues Herbert for Saturday’s doubles in Lille.

In Friday’s opening singles rubbers, France’s Lucas Pouille takes on Belgium’s David Goffin before Jo-Wilfried Tsonga plays Steve Darcis.

The final is live on the BBC Sport website from 13:00 GMT on Friday.

World number seven Goffin was runner-up at the ATP Finals in London, losing in three sets to Grigor Dimitrov on Sunday.

Herbert played alongside Mahut in the doubles in the same event but the pair withdrew from their final group match because Herbert had a back injury.

Herbert and Gasquet have never played together but Noah said: “There’s a first time for everything – I believe their style of play works very, very well together.”

“Last Thursday it was hard to imagine Pierre-Hugues playing, but I had the chance to pick him at the last moment. He’s been excellent over the past three days – he’s our best doubles player.”

France		Belgium
17 (W9-L8)	Previous finals	Two (W0-L2)
Yannick Noah	Captain	Johan Van Herck
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (15)	Players (world ranking)	David Goffin (7)
Lucas Pouille (18)		Steve Darcis (76)
Richard Gasquet (31)		Ruben Bemelmans (118)
Pierre-Hugues Herbert (81)		Joris de Loore (276)

Ruben Bemelmans and Joris de Loore will be Gasquet and Herbert’s opponents, with the reverse singles ties on Sunday.

Nine-time winners France have lost their past three finals, in 2002, 2010 and 2014. Belgium have lost in their two final appearances, including against Great Britain in 2015.

They have not won a Davis Cup tie in France for 65 years.

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Goffin Goes For Glory With Belgium

Posted: Nov 23, 2017

Goffin Goes For Glory With Belgium

Nov232017

Belgium looks to upset France in Davis Cup final

Fresh off his run to the championship match at the Nitto ATP Finals, where he defeated both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, David Goffin will look to lead Belgium to a historic Davis Cup victory this weekend against France in Lille.

Up to a career-high No. 7 in the Emirates ATP Rankings after his impressive run at The O2 last week, the 26-year-old Goffin will look to inspire his nation to a first Davis Cup title. Belgium finished runner-up in 1904 and more recently in 2015, when it was beaten on home soil by an Andy Murray-led Great Britain.

Goffin is joined on the away team by stalwart Steve Darcis, who won the decisive fifth rubber against Jordan Thompson in Belgium’s victory over Australia in September.

View Davis Cup Scores & Schedule

But the duo faces a tough task in France, represented by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Lucas Pouille, Richard Gasquet and Pierre-Hugues Herbert, and in front of a partisan 27,500-capacity crowd at the Stade Pierre Mauroy. The French fans will be out in force to see their team attempt to clinch the ITF men’s team trophy for the 10^th time.

France is looking to reclaim the Davis Cup crown for the first time since 2001, having fallen in the final in 2014 (l. to Switzerland), 2010 (l. to Serbia) and 2002 (l. to Russia).

Pouille will open the tie for the host nation when he faces his good friend Goffin, before Tsonga takes on Darcis in the second of Friday’s singles rubbers.

“We’re friends and I’m sure we’ll be friends after the match as well,” Goffin said. “I’ve never beaten Lucas so I will try to find a solution to find my best tennis.

“I’m happy to start the first match again,” Goffin added. “I spoke with Steve beforehand and he preferred that I start and he played second. It won’t be easy, two years ago I played first in the final and I was tired. This time I will try to be a little more relaxed and play as good match as I can from the start.”

Gasquet steps in to replace Mahut alongside Herbert in the doubles for France on Saturday. They will face Ruben Bemelmans and Joris De Loore, who is returning from knee surgery in September. “I haven’t played any tournaments since the operation (after the US Open), but I’ve worked hard and practice is going well,” said World No. 276 De Loore. “My knee feels 100 per cent and I feel 100 per cent going into this weekend.”

The reverse singles could decide proceedings on Sunday.

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