France go for Davis Cup semi-finals spot
After pushing eventual champion Andy Murray to five sets in a terrific Wimbledon quarter-final last week, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga leads a French bid for a place in the last-four of the Davis Cup, taking on the Czech Republicβs Lukas Rosol in the opening rubber.
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France meet their Czech rivals on a high following a strong grass court performance at the All England Club over the past two months.
Lucas Pouille secured his best Grand Slam performance yet with a run to the quarters - the 22-year-old's debut in men's premier international team event pits him against Jiri Vesely in the second singles rubber.
Saturday's doubles encounter sees Wimbledon doubles champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut team up together for the first time in the Davis Cup, against Radek Stepanek and Adam Pavlasek.
France captain Yannick Noah said: βYou might say my team have not had a lot of time to practices in the indoor conditions on a different court but believe that if you win Wimbledon an enormous amount of confidence follows. I would rather they come with a happy heart. It is a good thing to win matches no matter what, no matter where.β
The French record against the Czech Republic in Davis Cup competition is 8-7.
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