Davis Cup: France start with a defeat against Germany

Beaten by Germany 2-1 in the group stage of the Davis Cup on Wednesday in Hamburg, France could have hoped for better in a meeting whose outcome was played in a decisive double.

In this pool C that the captain of the Blues Sébastien Grosjean considered "homogeneous" last week, this defeat is already putting France under pressure, who will face Thursday (from 2 p.m. Paris time) Australia, who fell Belgium ( 3-0) Tuesday.

However, it took little for the first single between Benjamin Bonzi (53rd in the world) and Jan-Lennard Struff (132nd) to allow the Blues to win the first point: the Frenchman obtained two match points in the third set after a complicated start to the game.

But after more than two hours of play, it was finally Struff, helped by an effective service (14 aces in the match) who emerged victorious from the showdown, winning 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 in a encounter where the two players alternated ups and downs.

In the absence of Gaël Monfils (32nd), injured, it was Adrian Mannarino (47th) who had the heavy task of seeking the equalizer as French N.1.

Alexander Zverev, currently 5th in the world and injured in the ankle since Roland-Garros last June, having finally been unable to hold his place due to "extreme pain", Mannarino faced Oscar Otte (52nd).

Winner of the Winston-Salem tournament at the end of August, Mannarino confirmed his current form and fulfilled his role perfectly, dominating Otte with authority in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.

For the decisive double, the French pair Nicolas Mahut / Arthur Rinderknech, in difficulty during the first set, finally fought until the third set against Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz.

But despite the good reaction of the two Blues and the difficulties of Krawietz on his service game, the Germans won 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7/1), taking advantage in particular of the five unconverted break points by their opponents.