France has decided it will host the Davis Cup tennis final against Russia indoors on a clay court at the Paris Bercy sports hall. It will be held November 29 - December 1.
France beat the United States on the same surface outdoors at Roland-Garros in Paris in last weekend's semifinal. The Bercy hall, home of the Paris Open, has a capacity of about 16,000.
Marseille, hometown of captain Guy Forget and French number one Sebastien Grosjean, had also been under consideration. Grosjean won the Paris Open last season, beating Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the final at Bercy. Russian Marat Safin won the Bercy tournament two years ago.
It remains to be seen whether clay will favor the host country against former French Open champion Kafelnikov and Safin, who has won two clay court tournaments in his career, a feat no current French Davis Cup player has achieved.