ITF

Dixième inside Lille's colossal Stade Pierre Mauroy for the fifth rubber of the 2017 Davis Cup Final — and hardly blinked. Steve Darcis may have proved impenetrable in decisive fifth rubbers in the past, winning five out of five, but Pouille tore him to pieces on the biggest stage of all. Nerveless throughout, the 23-year-old carved the Belgian's game — and heart — apart in a 63 61 60 demolition job, sinking to his knees after his moment of victory before disappearing under a swarm of his jubilant teammates. After losses in the 2002, 2010 and 2014 finals, France was finally on top of the world again for a tenth time in the 117-year history of Davis Cup, and boy did it mean something. "I'm so emotional right now," stammered Pouille, a local boy born just an hour down the road from Lille. "To play in front of this crowd, in front of my family, my friends… it's a feeling from another world. I'm so proud of my team. We really wanted this trophy and finally we've got it after 16 years." Pouille might have enjoyed the final flourish, but France's tenth title was a team triumph from start to finish. Eight players won live rubbers during their victorious 2017 campaign, while all four of the team nominated for the final — Pouille, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and Pierre-Hugues Herbert — contributed a point to the cause in overcoming a typically valiant Belgian side. "I've always felt that we are a strong team," reflected Yannick Noah, a winning captain for the third time having also led France to victory in 1991 and 1996. "We didn't have a Top 5 player, but we have a compact team with eight or nine players capable of playing for us — and we have a great team spirit. "All the guys are motivated to represent our county. Four points, four different guys… it's beautiful." All's well that ends well then, but Noah risked dividing his tight-knit team when he controversially dropped one half of France's most established doubles pair, Nicolas Mahut, on the eve of the final. In came Richard Gasquet, presumably to provide another option in singles should the tie go the distance, but as it turned out he was deployed only in the third rubber. France celebrates its longed-for triumph

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