PRAGUE: French number one Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will take on the Czech Republic’s number two Lukas Rosol in the opening rubber of the Davis Cup World Group quarter-final tie following Thursday’s draw.

The 10th-ranked Tsonga will face 78th-ranked Rosol on the hardcourt of the Werk Arena in the eastern Czech town of Trinec at 1000 GMT on Friday.

In his Davis Cup debut, French young gun Lucas Pouille, the world number 21, will then face the Czech Republic’s Jiri Vesely, ranked 50th, in the day’s second rubber.

“Lukas can play without any stress as Tsonga will be the favourite,” Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil told reporters.

“The second rubber will be important for us, I would like a 1-1 draw after day one.

“We need points against their number two to have a chance, it will be his debut, he’s a young player so we’ll see.” French captain Yannick Noah said he expected a close tie.

“We are facing a very solid and dangerous team which will be propelled by the home crowd,” he said.

“We expect a very tough tie, but we have worked hard to get ready and we are ready to accept this challenge.”

In Saturday’s doubles rubber, veteran Radek Stepanek and Adam Pavlasek are due to face fresh Wimbledon champions Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert on the hardcourt of the Werk Arena.

“Their doubles pair won Wimbledon and other tournaments, but the Davis Cup is a different thing, I think we have a chance,” said Navratil.

In Sunday’s reverse singles, Vesely will first face Tsonga and Rosol is due to play against Pouille.

The French have lost world number 14 Richard Gasquet to an injury and 17th-ranked Gael Monfils, who is grappling with a mysterious virus.

The Czechs miss their number one, eighth-ranked Wimbledon semi-finalist Tomas Berdych, who is taking a break after Wimbledon and ahead of the Rio Olympics.

Led by Berdych and Stepanek, the Czech Republic won the Davis Cup in 2012 and 2013.

The team beat Germany 3-2 in the first round this year while France, who last lifted the trophy in 2001, saw off Canada 5-0.

France lead 8-7 in head to head encounters, the latest being their 4-1 win in the semi-finals in Paris in 2014, which put an end to the Czechs’ ten-tie winning streak.

The winner of the tie will face either the United States or Croatia in the semi-finals.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2016