U.S. teenager in Davis Cup spotlight

ROQUEBRUNE-CAP-MARTIN, France, April 5 (UPI) -- American teenager Ryan Harrison, in his second Davis Cup appearance, is to take on a pair of Top 15 players during a best-of-five series against France.

Harrison, 19, made his Davis Cup debut this year against Switzerland but by the time he took the court, the United States had already wrapped up the series.

There will be much more at stake this weekend when Harrison opens play Friday for the United States against world No. 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and then is scheduled for the fifth match, in which he plays No. 13 Gilles Simon in what could be the deciding match of the series.

The series is a quarterfinal with the winner going against either Austria or Spain in the semifinals Sept. 14-16. This weekend's matches will be outdoors on a red clay court at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France.

Harrison is subbing for world No. 9 Mardy Fish, who is injured, and has a tall assignment in Tsonga, who is 14-2 in Davis Cup play. Friday's second singles match has No. 11-ranked John Isner going for the United States against Simon.

The U.S. doubles team of twin brothers Bob and Mike Bryan -- No. 1 in the world -- is to play Frenchmen Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra on Saturday. The reverse singles Sunday have Isner and Tsonga up first before Harrison and Simon close the series.

The United States is 8-7 all-time versus France, but only 1-5 when the series is played on clay courts.