MOSCOW, April 6 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's top tennis players will challenge France this weekend in a quarterfinal tie of the Davis Cup, when former world No.1 Marat Safin joins the national team.
Safin, who recently returned to the game after a long break due to a knee injury, will play Richard Gasquet in Pau on Friday. World No. 6 Nikolai Davydenko will face Arnaud Clement.
Mikhail Youzhny and Dmitry Tursunov will play against Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra in the doubles on Saturday, and the remaining rubbers are set for Sunday.
Russia has clinched hard-fought victories at its last two meetings with France in Davis Cup. Last year Igor Andreyev brought Russia victory in the fifth rubber of the quarterfinal tie in Moscow.
In 2002, the Russian team shocked French fans in Paris by winning the Silver Cup, the Davis Cup trophy, coming back from 1-2 down after the first two days of the competition.
