MONACO (AP) France captain Guy Forget has chosen Gilles Simon to play singles against the United States in their Davis Cup quarterfinal on Friday.
Even though the 13th-ranked Simon is nursing a sore back and has had little practice, Forget selected him Thursday ahead of lower-ranked Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra.
Sixth-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will be first on court at the Monte Carlo Country Club when he takes on the 19-year-old American Ryan Harrison.
Simon, who replaced the injured Gael Monfils, will play No. 11 John Isner.
American captain Jim Courier is without Mardy Fish, who pulled out with fatigue this week.