Team spirit

French ready to defy Russian talent in Davis Cup final

Coach Guy Forget trains on a clay court with his French team. AP

PARIS (AP) -- "All for one and one for all" could be France's motto when it faces Russia in the Davis Cup final this week.

It's not just that France is seeking back-to-back titles for the first time since 1932, when its 'Musketeers' ruled Davis Cup tennis.

The French lack the individual talent of Russian tennis icons Marat Safin and Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and are relying on team spirit to carry them through.

"The Russians are stronger than us on paper," French captain Guy Forget said ahead of the Nov. 29-Dec. 1 final at Bercy's indoor stadium. "I'm lucky to have guys on my team who are ready to give everything on court to pull off a surprise.

"Their team spirit, their friendship, their respect for each other... That's our strength," he added. "From that point of view, we're much stronger than the Russians."

Sebastien Grosjean, Nicolas Escude, Fabrice Santoro, Arnaud Clement and Paul-Henri Mathieu make up the French squad. On Thursday, Forget will name his singles and doubles players. He can retain a maximum of four.

Grosjean, who is almost certain to play singles, is France's top-ranked player at No. 16 in the world. Yet even he is expected to struggle against the Russians, who are seeking their first Davis Cup title. France is trying for its 10th.

"Sebastien is intelligent enough to know that what Safin produces with his racket, he might not be able to produce himself," Forget said. "He has to surpass himself to catch Safin out."

The French Davis Cup team is unbeaten in eight ties stretching back more than two years. But none of its players has won a Grand Slam, and only Clement has reached the final of a major, the 2001 Australian Open.

Kafelnikov, on the other hand, is a former French and Australian Open champion and an Olympic gold medalist. World No. 3 Safin won the U.S. Open in 2000 and was a runner-up at the Australian Open this year.

Kafelnikov and Safin are likely to play singles and doubles for Russia, which was a Davis Cup runner-up in 1994 and 1995. Kafelnikov, the first Russian ever to win a Grand Slam, played in both finals.

"Who plays first will be very important," Kafelnikov said ahead of Friday's opening singles match. "I think it would be to our advantage that Marat plays first because he's playing much better now. He's a lot more confident than I am and if he goes out first I'm sure he's going to make the first point."

"And then of course my job would be a lot easier because I won't be too much under pressure."

Kafelnikov has made winning the Davis Cup the main focus of his otherwise lackluster season. The 28-year-old has repeatedly said he will retire if Russia wins the title.

France hasn't faced a Russian team since playing the former Soviet Union in 1983. France won their first-round tie 4-1.

In theory, France should benefit from home advantage and from playing on clay, the surface most French players are reared on. A clay court was installed in Bercy at the request of the French team, which had the choice of venue and surface.

But just as Russia lost its first two Davis Cup finals in Moscow, France has recent experience of home defeat. Grosjean and Santoro were on the team that lost 3-2 to Australia in the 1999 final in Nice.

Both players said this final would be different.

"In 1999 I didn't feel any pressure until the match, afterward I felt suffocated," said Grosjean, who lost his opening rubber to Mark Philippoussis in straight sets. "In 1999 there was even more pressure (than now)."

Added Santoro: "Three years have passed, we handle the pressure much better now."

France took revenge over Australia by winning the title in Melbourne last year. But it hasn't won the Davis Cup on home soil since Forget and Henri Leconte stunned an American team led by Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras 3-1 in the 1991 final in Lyon.

Now Forget is hoping for a repeat of that upset against the highly talented Russians.

"It's like the French 400-meter relay team a few years ago," Forget said, referring to the foursome that set a world record in 1990. "There was such a good understanding between them that, every time the baton was passed, they were able to make up time.

"In my team, the baton is passed exceptionally well each time," he said, adding: "Let's just hope we don't drop it in this race."

 

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