JANKO TIPSAREVIC and Gilles Simon have been given the coveted number two spots for Serbia and France for this weekend’s Davis Cup final in Belgrade.
With Novak Djokovic and Gael Monfils certain to fill two of the singles spots, it was up to the captains Bogdan Obradovic and Guy Forget to name their second players.
Both went against the rankings, with Obradovic rewarding Tipsarevic for his superb performance in the semi-final win over the Czech Republic while France captain Forget chose former top-10 star Simon.
Victor Troicki and Michael Llodra were the unlucky men but both are scheduled to play doubles, with Nenad Zimonjic and Arnaud Clement respectively, while Llodra could well be drafted in for the final singles match if the tie goes down to the wire.
The action kicks off at Belgrade Arena today with Tipsarevic taking on Monfils before world number three Djokovic faces Simon.
The teams have come through the draw in contrasting fashions, with France losing only one rubber in three matches and demolishing two-time defending champions Spain 5-0 in the quarter-finals.
Serbia, meanwhile, battled past USA 3-2 in the first round while they came from 2-1 down to beat the Czechs in the last four.
History will also be on the side of France, who have won the title nine times, most recently in 2001, while Serbia are making their first appearance in the final.
