France's Monfils out of Davis Cup semifinals

World No. 8 Monfils pulled up with a bad pain in his knee during training, aggravating an injury he picked up on his arrival at his hotel in Zadar.

Gael Monfils will be unavailable for France's semifinal clash against Croatia because of a knee injury.

France received a second blow ahead of their Davis Cup World Group semifinal clash in Croatia with US Open semifinalist Gael Monfils ruled out Wednesday with a knee injury.

World No. 8 Monfils pulled up with a bad pain in his knee during training, aggravating an injury he picked up on his arrival at his hotel in Zadar.

France is already without Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who was forced out of his US Open quarterfinal clash with Novak Djokovic with a left knee problem. Richard Gasquet, ranked 17th, who had been called up in to replace Tsonga, will now fulfil singles duties, along with 18th-ranked Lucas Pouille.

"It's a shock for us," France captain Yannick Noah said on the French Tennis Federation website.

"We gave him the morning off but at midday (Wednesday) it still wasn't better. So we had to make a decision and as we speak he should be on his way home.

"We've worked a lot with Richard. He already worked a lot in Paris and we pushed him hard. Richard is ready."

The two countries have met once before in 2004, with France winning 4-1 winners in Metz. The winner will meet either defending champions Great Britain or Argentina in November's final.