France beat Spain, book berth in final

Veteran pairing Julien Benneteau and Nicolas Mahut booked France’s place in another Davis Cup final as they won the doubles to seal the champions’ 3-0 victory over Spain in their World Group semi-final on Saturday.

The two 36-year-olds defeated another experienced duo in 32-year-old Marcel Granollers and 36-year-old Feliciano Lopez 6-0, 6-4, 7-6(7) to wrap up the tie before Sunday’s reverse singles.

It gives Yannick Noah’s team the opportunity to win the last Davis Cup to be played in its current traditional format in November before the ‘men’s World Cup of tennis’ gets a major facelift next year.

Noah said winning a fourth Davis Cup on home soil — his team also sealed victory in the Lille arena last year — would be a fitting way for him to leave the job and he reckoned his team were now playing their best tennis of his inspirational reign.

Whether Benneteau, who has come out of retirement to help the French cause, will be available to play in the final remains uncertain, though, despite his outstanding performance on Saturday.

“It’s quite possible today could be the last match of my career on tour, and what a way to finish,” he smiled.

Following victories for Benoit Paire and Lucas Pouille in Friday’s singles, Benneteau and Mahut, who won both their previous Davis Cup rubbers when teamed together, were fancied to finish the job.

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