LONDON, 8 March 2005 — After surviving a weekend of drama and intrigue, France can look forward to a tantalizing showdown with Russia in the Davis Cup quarterfinals.
With champions Spain and powerhouses the United States losing at the first hurdle, France’s tie against Russia looks the pick of the next round.
France had been expected to offer little resistance to the in-form Swedes because the nine-times champions were going through a slump in form.
In Paul-Henri Mathieu, however, France discovered a man on a mission to bury his Davis Cup demons and he did it in style to overcome Thomas Johansson in the deciding rubber in Strasbourg.
That exhilarating victory will allow Mathieu to settle another score when France travel to Russia for the July 15-17 tie in a repeat of the 2002 final.
Three years ago, French captain Guy Forget handed the then little-known Mathieu the responsibility of contesting the final rubber against Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny.
The gamble failed and Mathieu was left distraught after coming out second best in the five-set tussle, leaving the Russians to celebrate their first Davis Cup triumph.
Sunday’s victory against Johansson gave the 96th-ranked Mathieu his first win in a live fifth rubber, and he is determined to take this confidence into the quarter-finals. “It was the best thing that has ever happened to me,” Mathieu said after his four-set win over Johansson.
“When I lost the third set after having two match points it was a bit tough.
“I never thought back to Bercy (the final against Russia) though, I was in my bubble and I didn’t have a match point there. I hope that this win is a new start for me.”
