Carole Bouchard is a French journalist Stade Amédée Détraux in Baie- Mahault, Guadeloupe
to prove the French team was ready to suffer together in order to get the trophy. It might have been the turning point Noah was hop - ing for. (France will take on Croatia in the semifinals in September.) Noah’s luck may lie in the fact that his players are now aware they won’t get many more chances. “Players now need to feel re - sponsible. Nobody will be allowed to hide,” he said. “Things need to be said clearly, and mistakes of the past need to be taken into account,” he continued. “I just want them to win, to live this at least once. How long has it been since we’ve won anything?! May - be I’m crazy, but I feel I can [elevate] them all. It’s unbelievable how strongly I believe in them.”
helps winning the Davis Cup, and that’s what we’re looking for,” Gasquet said. “Yes, I think the captain’s words can change things,” he added. “Noah, for us, is a bit of a legend, someone who is above French tennis and who won the French Open. We need that.” It was a new-look French team that took the court in Trinec, Czech Republic, for the Davis Cup quarterfinal tie in June. With Gasquet out with a back injury and Monfils still dealing with a viral infection, the stal - wart Tsonga this time was joined by the new- ly minted doubles powerhouse of Mahut and Herbert, and the 22-year-old Lucas Pouille, fresh off a run to the Wimbledon quarter- finals. France ground out a gritty victory in Trinec against a strong Czech team, seeming
who has covered tennis for L’Equipe,
Le Parisien, La Dernière Heure, Sports
Illustrated and Radio Canada.
54
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker