2017 Davis Cup Final: France vs Belgium Preview
In a personal sport like Tennis, Davis Cup is the pinnacle of team glory. The 2017 Davis Cup Final is scheduled between France and Belgium beginning this Friday, November 23 in Lille, France. The hosts are one of the most successful teams in the history of Davis Cup having won nine titles. Belgium, on the other hand, are looking for their first title. So, who will it be, this weekend?
France
The hosts may have won nine titles but lost it three previous finals in 2002, 2010, and 2014. They are seeking their first title since 2001 and hope to ride on home support to land the title.
The hosts have a very strong squad led by the 15th-ranked Jo Wilfried Tsonga and the 18th-ranked Lucas Pouille. Joining them are Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet. All four are equally good to lead the charge in singles and captain Yannick Noah will have a tough time in selection.
With Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut leading the doubles, France have a team to lead them to the title. A win would help France join Great Britain as the 3rd most successful nation in Davis Cup history behind USA (32 titles) and Australia (28 titles) with 10 titles.
Belgium
The visitors are bidding for their first title but are into their second final in three years, having been runners-up in 1904 and 2015. Belgium will be led by the eighth-ranked David Goffin who recently became the first Belgian to reach the final of the ATP World Tour finals.
Captained by Johan Van herck, the team also features Steve Darcis and Ruben Bemelmans. Not the names that would send a shiver down the spine of the French side, but the hosts will be wary of Goffin who has a 19-3 win-loss record in Davis Cup singles rubbers.
Darcis is the most successful active Belgian Davis Cup player and could spring a surprise with his experience.
Stats
Belgium will become the 12th team to have survived the World Group play-offs to win the title, should they triumph this weekend. If not, they would join India and Romania at the list of most final appearances without a title.
The two sides have faced each other seven times with France holding a 4-3 advantage. The hosts were successful in the two most recent meetings in 2001 and 1999. Belgium haven’t won on French soil since 1952.
Betting Tips
With such a star cast on offer, the hosts are favourites to lift the title. Tsonga and co. have the firepower to win it for France with a 3-1 scoreline – the one point to Belgium coming probably from Goffin. Unfortunately the Australian sportsbooks aren’t offering scoreline betting, so all we can offer is France to win at odds of $1.25 at CrownBet.
