France completes 5-0 Davis Cup sweep of short-handed Canadian squad

Canada's Frank Dancevic returns a ball to opponent Kimmer Coppejans during a match at the Davis Cup in Ostend, Belgium on July 19, 2015. (Kyle Lapham / The Canadian Press)

BAIE-MAHAULT, Guadeloupe -- Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga won their singles matches Sunday as France completed a 5-0 sweep of Canada in its World Group Davis Cup tie.

Gasquet defeated Philip Bester of North Vancouver, B.C., 6-1, 7-6 (4) before Tsonga took the final match when Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., was forced to retire with a pectoral injury after winning the first set 7-6 (7).

France clinched the tie Saturday when Gasquet and Tsonga defeated Bester and Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C., 7-6 (4), 6-1, 7-6 (4) in doubles.

Canada was forced to play the tie without its best player as Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., is out with an abductor injury. Doubles specialist Daniel Nestor of Toronto also had to withdraw due to a family matter.

"Our players gave their all this weekend but it was simply not enough against a team as strong as France," said Canadian captain Martin Laurendeau. "Now that they beat us, I wish for them to go all the way and win the Davis Cup this year.

"On our side, we will have to get ready for the important tie we will have in September in order to stay in the World Group."

Bester said although Sunday's reverse singles matches had no bearing on the final outcome, he wanted to finish strong against Gasquet.

"I wasn't going to go down without a fight," he said. "This has been a great opportunity for me here and I need to take the positives forward with me to my next events, stay healthy and keep improving."

With the win, France advanced to a quarter-final matchup in July with the Czech Republic. Canada will play a World Group playoff tie in September looking to remain with the world's top 16 countries.