The 2018 Davis Cup final commences tomorrow between two time winners France and Croatia who won their only historic title back in 2005. The tournament is held on French soil in Lille and will be played indoors on clay. Croatia have been drawn up as the odds on favourites due to their stronger singles pairing of seventh ranked Cilic and world number twelve Coric, who are both the highest ranked singles players in the tournament. However, as well as facing a talented and experienced French squad, the visitors will be up against a loud and partisan home crowd, which acts like a sixth member of the squad, and will surely play a part in lifting the French layers to a different level at times.

France have the potential to win the trophy as early as Saturday if they win both of today’s singles rubbers as expected and the doubles with specialist pairing of Mahut and Herbert, who have been in great form this season. However, the French cannot afford to be complacent against the potential Croatian doubles pairing of world number four doubles specialist Pavic and world number twenty doubles specialist Skugor, who are an excellence and very talented team themselves. Even if the French win today’s singles rubbers and lose the doubles tomorrow, they will still have the chance of winning the title on Sunday if Cilic or Coric win the potential deciding singles rubber.

Selections:

None.