Safin pulls out of Davis Cup tie

Australian Open champion Marat Safin has pulled out of the Russia team for this month's Davis Cup quarter-final against France with a knee injury.

Safin's official website reported on Wednesday that the world number five will have a small operation on his left knee to repair a tear in the ligament.

Earlier this week, Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev named Safin in the team along with French Open semi-finalist Nikolay Davydenko, 2002 Davis Cup hero Mikhail Youzhny, Igor Andreev and newcomer Teimuraz Gabashvili.

Davydenko also looks doubtful for the July 15-17 tie on clay at Moscow's Olympic arena after the world number seven retired from his opening match at the Gstaad Open on Tuesday with a wrist injury.

France captain Guy Forget named French number one Richard Gasquet along with Paul-Henri Mathieu, Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra after Sebastien Grosjean had pulled out because of fatigue.

The Moscow tie will be the first meeting between the two nations since Russia edged France 3-2 to clinch their first Davis Cup title in Paris in 2002 when Youzhny came from two sets down to beat Mathieu in the deciding fifth rubber.