One of the biggest storylines running through this weekend’s Davis Cup final is French captain Yannick Noah’s decision to go with three bona fide singles players instead of the formidable doubles duo of Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert. The duo has Grand Slam titles under its belt, and would have been a logical choice to capture the all-important doubles rubber on Saturday, but now that Richard Gasquet and Herbert have paired to earn the victory and a 2-1 lead for France, Noah’s controversial decision appears to have worked.
More: France One Win from Davis Cup After Doubles Triumph
That’s good news for Noah, who knew he was under the gun in the public eye the moment he made the call to sack Mahut, a sentimental favorite and a doubles stud.
"There are so many people here just waiting to cut my head, whatever I'm doing,” Noah said on court after the doubles point had been decided. “[Gasquet and Herbert] saved me."
Indeed they did.
Now the French have the option of using Gasquet for reverse singles on Sunday, and whether they execute that decision or not, it means that Steve Darcis, a player that has gone 5-0 in deciding Davis Cup rubbers, cannot prepare for one player—he has to prepare for two.
First, France can clinch the victory if Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeats David Goffin in Sunday’s fourth rubber. That’s the position that Noah wanted his team in, regardless of personnel, and that’s the situation he’s put them in.
Second, if Tsonga fails, he’ll likely go with Gasquet based on the performance of Lucas Pouille, who fell easy victim to Goffin on Friday. The ability to sub in a quality singles player like Gasquet could make the difference. Every edge is important in a Davis Cup final, and the fact that Darcis can’t spend the evening gameplanning for one specific opponent will certainly occupy some critical space in his head.
Whatever the outcome, hindsight will prove to be 20-20 in this case. But let us not overlook the impressive closeness and unity of the French team from the moment this controversial decision was made. Mahut handled his demotion with grace, saying his primary responsibility was to help the team prepare for its mission and to accept the call of his captain—total maturity from a veteran player who has always answered the call for his nation.
Second there was the emotional moment between Herbert and Mahut after the rubber was won, showing the solidarity of the pair as a team, and of the French as a cohesive unit, for better or for worse.
Talent is one thing. Togetherness is another. The French are a winning example of both at the moment. They have handled a difficult moment as a team, never losing sight of what is really important this weekend in Lille. Because of that they are one win from the title, with their best ready to put it all on the line on Sunday.