By Chris Oddo | Sunday, April 6, 2014

 

The French Davis Cup team completed its comeback from 0-2 down when Gael Monfils took out Germany's Peter Gojowczyk in straight sets.

Photo Source: Nicolas Bouvy/ EPA

When the French needed an inspirational victory, they called for their ace in the hole Gael Monfils, and the flamboyant Frenchman didn't let them down.

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Monfils completed the French comeback from 0-2 down against Germany by defeating Peter Gojowczyk, 6-1, 7-6(0), 6-2, on Sunday to send France through to the Davis Cup World Group semifinals for the fourth time in six years. The victory also marks only the eighth comeback from 0-2 down in Davis Cup World Group history. The French also accomplished the feat in 1996, when they defeated Italy at home. It has not happened in World Group play since 1998.

Monfils, who didn't play singles on Friday, was called into action by captain Arnaud Clement in favor of Julien Benneteau to face the player that had upset Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the most thrilling match of the weekend on Friday. From the onset, it was clear that Clement made the right choice.

Monfils, spurred on by the raucous French crowd in Nancy, raced out to a 5-0 lead in the first set before Gojowczyk could get his feet underneath him.

After a tight second set, Monfils blanked the German in a tiebreaker. After being broken to start the third, Monfils reeled off the next four games to place his nation on the cusp of victory.

He would break again to seal the tie for France, embracing his teammates on the court as the emotional crowd applauded in earnest.

On Saturday, Michael Llodra and Julien Benneteau had set the emotional tone for France, winning a heated doubles rubber to set the comeback wheels in motion. In Sunday's first reverse singles rubber, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga kept the momentum going with a dominant win over Kamke.

All that was left was for Sliderman, one of France's most beloved stars, to do his thing.

He did just that.

France will face the Czech Republic in the semifinals, in France.