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  • Gasquet deals double blow to France

    4/11/08 8:18 AM | David Cox
    - After Jo-Wilfred Tsonga’s withdrawal from the tie with a knee injury on Wednesday and facing possible surgery (an MRI scan revealed a torn meniscus), France’s chances of making the semis for the first time since 2004 were looking slim.

    Now they face a nigh impossible task after losing their talisman Richard Gasquet from Friday’s singles with blisters. He’s replaced by Michael Llodra who takes on Andy Roddick in the first rubber

    France’s captain Guy Forget made the decision to replace Gasquet last night at the draw ceremony. “I really felt that Michael and Paul-Henri were the two guys who were in great form and had the best chance of winning a point,” Forget said. “You have to take into consideration the physical ability, the little injuries that players have. That can change in the next few days, but on Friday I really felt that was the best opportunity for us.”

    Roddick’s only previous match with Llodra was 6 years ago in Delray Beach, the American (back then just a budding potential star) winning in 3 sets. The surface chosen by the Americans is extremely fast and although that will enable Roddick to pound down his usual service bombs even more regularly than usual, it will also aid Llodra who likes to serve-volley and is no slouch in the ace department himself. He could make this closer than many expect having been quite a force during February’s European indoor series, picking up the big Rotterdam title. When it comes to the crunch Roddick will find some crucial returns/passing shots and so give the USA a 1-0 lead but I expect Llodra to take a set

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