In Manchester, Sébastien Grosjean's team reached a qualification in the quarter-finals unprecedented for them since 2018, before dropping the flag in the double, decisive, despite a cannon start and four match balls, wasted, in the third set...

Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Nicolas Mahut folded the first round with authority, revealing a corner of bright blue sky in the noisy AO Arena almost full with more than 13,000 spectators, a British record in the event.

But the racket strokes of the incandescent Dan Evans, always quick to harangue the crowd, and the doubles specialist Neal Skupski, winner at Wimbledon this summer, finally triumphed after two suffocating decisive games (1-6, 7-6, 7-6) and two hours and forty-eight minutes of a bitter fight.

Britain's Andy Murray (L) celebrates after Great Britain's Davis Cup win over France, in Manchester on September 17, 2023. © Darren Staples / AFP

The French can come out of this Sunday with twists and turns, where regrets and breaths of hope have intertwined.

He began in the frustration of the first singles lost 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, against Daniel Evans (27th in the world) by a novice of 19 years, Arthur Fils (44th in the world), yet long in front, serene and applied before unscrewing from the middle of the second set.

Impeccable Humbert

The throw in place of Adrian Mannarino, weakened by an adductor discomfort, initially looked like a winning bet: the bizuth seemed to control the game, his emotions and his opponent, yet better ranked, more experienced at 33 years old, and crowned with a title freshly acquired in Washington, also on hard.

But the scenario reversed midway through the second set. "He put energy, and with the crowd and the new balls, it was going a little too fast," said the Fancilien, a newcomer in the Top 50 in the ATP rankings.

In this context, Ugo Humbert (36th in the world) did wonders against Cameron Norrie (17th in the world), whom he tamed with cold blood in three sets 7-6, 3-6, 7-5, won at the end of the suspense after two hours and forty-six minutes.

France's Ugo Humbert reacts after winning the first set against Britain's Cameron Norrie during the Davis Cup match between Great Britain and France in Manchester, September 17, 2023 © Darren Staples / AFP

"It's huge, so many emotions, I went through all the states during the game, it's completely crazy," the 25-year-old left-hander told BeIN Sports. He overcame "a big slack" in the second set and the "crazy noise" coming from the stands, "it was a huge kiff".

The oldest Roger-Vasselin (39) and Mahut (41), so close to qualifying, unfortunately did not manage to extend the party. The rest of the Davis Cup will be written without them, but with Great Britain, Canada defending champion, Australia outgoing finalist or Serbia of world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

© 2023 AFP