BAIE-MAHAULT, Guadeloupe, Mar 5 AP - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet sent France into the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup with a straight-sets victory in the doubles match of their first-round tie with Canada on Saturday.
Tsonga and Gasquet defeated Philip Bester and Vasek Pospisil 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 7-6 (7-4) to give the hosts an unsurmountable 3-0 lead on the outdoor clay court of the Velodrome Amedee Detraux in Guadeloupe.
While France fielded their strongest team, also featuring Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon, Canada travelled to Guadeloupe without their best player Milos Raonic - out because of an adductor injury - and doubles specialist Daniel Nestor.
Bester played Davis Cup doubles for the first time.
The nine-time Davis Cup champions will either face Czech Republic or Germany in the quarterfinals in July.
