Gael Monfils in France Davis Cup team despite player's criticism of venue

Gael Monfils has been named in France's Davis Cup team to face Canada despite his recent criticism over the venue for the match.

Captain Yannick Noah confirmed Monfils as one of his five players for the World Group first-round match in March which is being played in Guadeloupe, one of the country's overseas departments in the Caribbean.

Monfils, whose father was born in Guadeloupe, said it was unnecessary for France to make players go on a 13,000-kilometre round trip in a busy part of the season.

But that has not stopped Noah, returning to the captain's role this year, from selecting him along with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, Gilles Simon and Edouard Roger Vasselin.

Noah told a press conference on Wednesday that Monfils was "conscious he made a mistake" with the comments he made but said he was motivated to play.

"I hope he realises he has not done the team any favours," Noah said. "If we go about this the way that we all know how to do, we can win the tie and I would even say that we can win the Davis Cup."