Ugo Humbert ensured France made a winning start to its Group B Davis Cup Finals Group Stage campaign on Tuesday when he defeated Stan Wawrinka to guide the 10-time champion to an unassailable 2-0 lead against Switzerland.
The lefty delivered a clean-hitting performance against Wawrinka in Manchester, where he triumphed 6-4, 6-4 in 89 minutes. With his victory, Humbert lifted France to the top of Group B after one tie.
Earlier, Adrian Mannarino defeated #NextGenATP Swiss Dominic Stricker, who upset Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to the fourth round at the US Open last week.
Mannarino struck 22 winners and broke three times to clinch a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 win in two hours and three minutes. The 35-year-old has now won six of his eight Davis Cup matches. France is aiming to reach the quarter-finals at the Davis Cup Finals since 2018.
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This week 16 countries are competing in the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage from Tuesday through Sunday in the hopes of reaching the Final 8 in November in Malaga.
The countries will compete across four groups in four cities — Group A in Bologna, Group B in Manchester, Group C in Valencia and Group D in Split — with the top two countries per group to qualify for the knockout stage in two months.
France and Switzerland are joined in Group B by Great Britain and Australia.
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Dusan Lajovic and Laslo Djere delivered for Serbia in Spain, where they clinched wins to give their nation a 2-0 lead against South Korea in Group C in the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage.
In the opening match of the day, Lajovic defeated Hong Seongchan 6-4, 7-6(3) in two hours and one minute to move Serbia ahead. The World No. 52 saved all three break points he faced to seal his victory.
Djere then clinched victory for Serbia in its opening Group C match, downing Soonwoo Kwon 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Serbia, the 2010 Davis Cup champion, is aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the third time in the past four seasons.