France seek to defend title against Croatia

When the players of France and Croatia step onto the clay court laid down inside Lille’s huge Stade Pierre Mauroy on Friday it will mark the end of an era for the 118-year-old Davis Cup. This year’s final will be the last in its current guise after the International Tennis Federation’s decision to revamp the team event starting in 2019.

But for this weekend, at least, the Davis Cup will have the spotlight for a final in which Croatia, hoping to repeat their 2005 triumph, will start slight favourites. France captain Yannick Noah, who led his country to the title last year and will be in charge for the last time before Amelie Mauresmo takes over, is without several top names.

Richard Gasquet is injured and Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon are missing, yet with a fanatical home crowd cheering every point, Les Blues will still feel confident of back-to-back titles for the first time since 1932.

In world No 32 Lucas Pouille and number 40 Jeremy Chardy they still boast two dangerous singles players while Mahut and Herbert are the reigning French Open doubles champions.

Noah also has former world number five Jo-Wilfried Tsonga up his sleeve after including the injury-troubled 33-year-old in his squad for the final.

France have won their last six ties on home soil but Zeljko Krajan’s Croatia will certainly not be intimidated by the raucous atmosphere they will encounter.

Marin Cilic, the world number seven, is vastly experienced on the big stages and has won 27 of his 38 Davis Cup singles.

In other news, 30 amateur tennis players were invited to play through the night on Wednesday to test the claycourt inside Stade Pierre Mauroy. Last weekend’s rugby international between France and Argentina at the venue meant organisers faced a quick turnaround to lay down the clay surface in time for the final.

LONDON: