For the (temporary) return of the original home-away format of the Davis Cup, with the play-off against Ecuador in Pau, there are no surprises in the choices of captain Sébastien Grosjean.
Adrian Mannarino (58th in the world), eighth finalist at the Australian Open, is lined up alongside young Arthur Rinderknech, finalist of the ATP 250 in Adelaide at the start of the season.
Mannarino will take on world No. 381 Roberto Quiroz, while Rinderknech will face Emilio Gomez in this weekend's opener, starting at 3pm on Thursday.
The less experienced of the two will play his first Davis Cup singles match.
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Widely favorites, against the South Americans, the double Nicolas Mahut-Pierre Hugues Herbert, is then aligned against the pair Gonzalo Escobar (N°40)-Diego Hidalgo (N°290).
Gonzalo Escobar believes that a feat is possible: “I played against Mahut and Herbert at the Paris-Bercy Masters.
That should help me understand this game.
We believe in.
»
This weekend's display, on an indoor hard surface, will end on Sunday if neither team has won three times.
In the event of qualification against the Ecuadorians, the French team will play the final phase of the new version of the Davis Cup, at the end of November, in a place still unknown.