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Wednesday November 6, 04:33 PM
Davis Cup-Russians are better than us, says Forget
PARIS (Reuters) - France captain Guy Forget thinks the Russian players are better than his own going into this month's Davis Cup final clash in Paris.
"I sincerely believe that the Russians are better than us, on any surface," Forget said in an interview with sports daily L'Equipe on Wednesday.
But Forget, who won the Davis Cup as a player in 1991, added that Marat Safin, who demolished world number one Lleyton Hewitt in the Paris Masters final last Sunday, was more vulnerable on clay.
"I think that on clay, (Sebastien) Grosjean can beat (Yevgeny) Kafelnikov and Safin," he said.
Forget underlined the fact that the surface was not the most important factor.
"I said to the players: 'To me, the key is not the surface, it's you. I want a complete physical and psychological commitment.
"Then we have to keep in mind that we will beat the Russians if we are opportunist, ambitious and aggressive," Forget told the newspaper.
He also made it clear that he had not made up his mind about who would play on the Bercy clay courts.
"I'm not unveiling any secret when I say that Fabrice (Santoro) is systematically torn into pieces by Kafelnikov and that he leads Safin 6-1," Forget said when asked about Santoro's chances of playing in the singles.
"But we have to take the doubles into account".
Nicolas Escude and Santoro defeated Gustavo Kuerten and Cedric Pioline in the final of the Paris Masters Series on Sunday. The pair are still unbeaten and dropped only one set in seven matches.
Davis Cup-Russians are better than us, says Forget
PARIS (Reuters) - France captain Guy Forget thinks the Russian players are better than his own going into this month's Davis Cup final clash in Paris.
"I sincerely believe that the Russians are better than us, on any surface," Forget said in an interview with sports daily L'Equipe on Wednesday.
But Forget, who won the Davis Cup as a player in 1991, added that Marat Safin, who demolished world number one Lleyton Hewitt in the Paris Masters final last Sunday, was more vulnerable on clay.
"I think that on clay, (Sebastien) Grosjean can beat (Yevgeny) Kafelnikov and Safin," he said.
Forget underlined the fact that the surface was not the most important factor.
"I said to the players: 'To me, the key is not the surface, it's you. I want a complete physical and psychological commitment.
"Then we have to keep in mind that we will beat the Russians if we are opportunist, ambitious and aggressive," Forget told the newspaper.
He also made it clear that he had not made up his mind about who would play on the Bercy clay courts.
"I'm not unveiling any secret when I say that Fabrice (Santoro) is systematically torn into pieces by Kafelnikov and that he leads Safin 6-1," Forget said when asked about Santoro's chances of playing in the singles.
"But we have to take the doubles into account".
Nicolas Escude and Santoro defeated Gustavo Kuerten and Cedric Pioline in the final of the Paris Masters Series on Sunday. The pair are still unbeaten and dropped only one set in seven matches.
