PREVIEW: Roddick ready for revenge in French Davis Cup face-off

Apr 8, 2008, 12:37 GMT

Winston-Salem, North Carolina - Confident Andy Roddick will be seeking revenge for a five-set Wimbledon loss against Richard Gasquet as France travel to the American Deep South for a Davis Cup World Group quarter-final.

Roddick will be in action on Friday's opening day and at some point at the weekend will face off against his rival, who won 8-6 in the fifth set of their quarter-final last July on the grass.

'I owe Gasquet one from last year, and I look forward to that opportunity,' said the American number six who beat Roger Federer in last week's Miami quarter-finals.

'You know, (Australian open finalist Jo-Wilfried) Tsonga has been he's been chatting a lot about this, so I'm excited to get out there and try to defend our title.'

Tsonga has predicted a quick French victory in the tie, the 15th time the teams have met. The series stands level at seven wins apiece, with France picking up the last in a 2002 semi-final at Roland Garros.

Roddick is joined by a group of familiar faces as captain Patrick McEnroe goes with the same lineup for a record tenth straight occasion.

James Blake will play second singles, with the Miami-champion Bryan brothers also on board. The current side first came together in the 2005 World Group play-off in Belgium.

Indian Wells finalist Mardy Fish will join the squad as a reserve.

'Were looking forward to adding another chapter to our rich Davis Cup history with France,' said McEnroe, who has led the side to a 14-6 record since 2001. 'We received tremendous support from the crowd last year in Winston-Salem and we hope to experience that same excitement again this year.'

In Bremen, Miami runner-up Rafael Nadal will lead Spain while the weekend champion Nikolay Davydenko will play for Russia in Moscow against the Czech Republic, joined by Mikhail Youzhny, Igor Andreev and Dmitry Tursunov on the indoor clay.

In the final tie of the weekend, Argentine with David Nalbandian at the helm host Sweden on clay outdoors.

Nadal will be playing on the second of three surfaces this month as he goes onto fast indoors for the Davis date against a German side missing Tommy Haas (bronchitis) but featuring Nicolas Kiefer and Philip Kohlschreiber.

David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco and Dubai finalist Feliciano Lopez back up Nadal.

'I'm thinking about Davis Cup now, it's important competition for us,' said Nadal. 'Later I'm sure I'll think of the clay season.'

Kiefer is playing for Germany for the first time in more than two years, last competing in February, 2006. Germany hold a 9-4 lead in the series, but Spain has won the last two meetings of former Davis Cup champions.

In Buenos Aires, Sweden lead Argentina 2-1, but with the home side heavily favoured. Completing the Argentine squad are Guilermo Canas, Juan Monaco and Jose Acasuso.

Sweden will field veterans Thomas Johansson and Jonas Bjorkman, with number one Robin Soderling due to test the wrist injury which caused him to quit a Miami match against Federer in the third round.