France knock GB out of Davis Cup – report & highlights
Great Britain are out of the Davis Cup after a 3-0 quarter-final defeat by France, as Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot lost in the doubles.
Murray and Inglot were beaten 7-6 (9-7) 5-7 7-5 7-5 by Nicolas Mahut and Julien Benneteau on day two in Rouen.
On Friday, Kyle Edmund lost the first singles match 7-5 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 to world number 17 Lucas Pouille.
And Dan Evans was also beaten in three sets in his singles match – 6-2 6-3 6-3 by world number 68 Jeremy Chardy.
It is the first time GB have failed to make the semi-finals in three years.
- Reaction: GB captain Smith positive despite defeat
“It was a good match, it was an exciting match, a lot of good tennis, we just didn’t get it done when it mattered,” said Jamie Murray.
“Obviously it was a really close match all the way through.
“We probably did enough to win the first set, we won the second set and then we were up a break in the third set, so realistically we could potentially have won the first three sets.”
France want to ‘bring trophy home’
With GB trailing 2-0 after the first day, Murray and Inglot knew they had to win the doubles rubber to keep the tie alive.
Britain had only lost two previous Davis Cup doubles matches under Leon Smith but his team got off to a bad start, losing the first-set tie-break.
Murray and Inglot recovered to level the match at 1-1 and earn GB their first – and only – set of the weekend.
But Mahut and Benneteau, buoyed by a raucous home crowd, were relentless and sealed an inspired victory for France in four sets.
The pair, who are not regular playing partners, first won major silverware together back in 1999 in the US Open juniors and were victorious at the ATP Tour event in Marseille in February.
France will now face Serbia – who beat Spain 3-0 in Belgrade with the help of world number two Novak Djokovic – in the semi-finals in September.
“We are a great nation, who have not won this competition since 2001. There is great expectation around the team and we are a good group,” Mahut told BBC Sport.
“It was the first time I have played at home. Hopefully we can play the semi-final at home and ultimately we want to bring back the trophy to France.”
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GB faced an uphill task
Britain, without injured world number one Andy Murray, failed to win a set on the opening day of a Davis Cup tie for the first time since 2008 against Argentina.
Kyle Edmund battled hard against Lucas Pouille – the highest-ranked player in the tie – in the first of the singles on Friday but the Frenchman’s backhand proved too strong.
With Great Britain already 1-0 down, 26-year-old Evans – whose indifferent record on clay was a talking point in the build-up to tie – was tasked with turning things around.
However, he was completely outplayed by late call-up Jeremy Chardy.
The 30-year-old had made just three previous Davis Cup appearances, and none for six years – but Evans’ lack of match practice on the clay, having not played on the surface for two years, told.
And Jamie Murray, who finished 2016 as the number one-ranked doubles player along with partner Bruno Soares, was unable to bring GB back into the tie on Saturday.
Analysis – France hoping to end ‘painful sporting subject’
Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent
France fielded their third- and ninth-highest-ranked singles players, but were still comfortably able to see off a British team lacking Andy Murray.
There were fleeting opportunities for the visitors: for Kyle Edmund in the opening singles, and for Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot in the doubles when they went a break up in the third set.
But France have astonishing strength in depth and the fact they have not won the Davis Cup since 2001 is one of the most painful subjects in French sport.
Leon Smith’s team are assured of a place in the 2018 World Group. And despite this weekend’s gloom, the next three seasons should present them with a reasonable chance of repeating that historic triumph of 2015.
John Lloyd, Former GB Davis Cup captain
Great Britain had their chances. It was a fantastic doubles match but the French team played best on the big points,
Nicolas Mahut in particular was absolutely magnificent today.
He had that air about him that he was going to win the match at whatever cost.
Jamie Murray was superb throughout today and hardly missed a volley. He was the best player on the court for long periods of the match.
GB played against a world-class team today and they could have won the match.
Djokovic helps Serbia to victory
In Belgrade, world number two Novak Djokovic helped Serbia to victory in their last-eight tie against Spain.
Djokovic, who missed the Miami Masters because of an elbow injury, beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas in Friday’s singles before Viktor Troicki saw off Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3 6-4 6-3.
Troicki then teamed up with Nenad Zimonjic in Saturday’s doubles as they finally overcame Carenno Busta and Marc Lopez in a five-set thriller to reach the semi-finals.
Elsewhere Italy kept their semi-final hopes alive with victory in the doubles over Belgium in Charleroi.
Andreas Seppi and Simone Bolelli beat Ruben Bemelmans and Joris de Loore 4-6 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6.
Italy now trail 2-1 going into Sunday’s reverse singles.
USA also turned the momentum in their quarter-final clash with Australia in Brisbane.
Steve Johnson and Jack Sock beat Sam Groth and John Peers in the doubles to keep their tie alive going into the third day.