France loses Tsonga for Dutch Davis Cup date

Jo-Wilfried Tsong, who exited the Australian Open at the third round, has a knee strain.

France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga signs autographs during a training session ahead of the Davis Cup tennis match between France and the Netherlands at the Halle Olympique Stadium in Albertville.

France embarks upon the defence of its Davis Cup title without the services of its star player, the injured Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, when it faces the Netherlands this weekend.

Tsonga will be with the team but sat alongside captain Yannick Noah in the stands due to a knee strain, while Adrian Mannarino has been drafted in as a replacement.

Read: No Federer, Nadal, Djokovic but plenty at stake in Davis Cup

The French Tennis Federation tweeted the news on Thursday and confirmed that Mannarino, ranked 25th in the world as opposed to Tsonga's 19th ranking and picking up his first selection for the national team, would arrive at its training base at Albertville later in the day.

France remains firm favourites to win the match with the Dutch, lining up with Lucas Pouille, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Richard Gasquet, Nicolas Mahut and Mannarino.

Noah, the 1983 Roland Garros champion, led France to victory in the Davis Cup final against Belgium last November.