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LILLE, France - Saying he has recovered from a back injury, Roger Federer has the chance to finally win one of the only notable titles missing from his collection.Federer will play Gael Monfils on Friday in the second singles match as Switzerland takes on France in the final of the Davis Cup. Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka will open the best-of-five series on indoor clay against Frances Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in this northern French city.Federer, a 17-time Grand Slam champion, was doubtful for the final after injuring his back last week during his three-set win over Wawrinka in the semifinals at the ATP finals in London. The injury forced him to pull out of the title match against Novak Djokovic on Sunday.Federer said a final practice session hours before Thursdays draw convinced him he would be able to step on court Friday. Whether he is 100 per cent fit remains uncertain.Well see tomorrow how it goes, but I practiced well today ... and I was really pleased to see that I was able to give it a go, the second-ranked Federer said.If there was a risk it would impact the rest of my life, obviously I would not play, he added. But I had similar problems in the past and I can draw from that experience to know what I can actually do.Along with an Olympic gold medal in singles, a Davis Cup title is the only major hole in the 33-year-old Federers resume.Switzerland is bidding for its first Davis Cup title, while France is seeking its 10th. This is the 13th meeting between the two nations, with France leading 10-2.The doubles on Saturday will pit French pair Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet against Marco Chiudinelli and Michael Lammer, but team captains can change their lineup up to one hour before the match. If Federer is judged fit enough to play over three days, he is expected to be picked for the doubles alongside Wawrinka.In the reverse singles Sunday, Federer will play Tsonga, and Wawrinka will face Monfils in the potentially decisive fifth match.Wawrinka and Federer said they have smoothed over their relations after the tense London match. Wawrinka complained to the chair umpire during the match that Federers camp was making noise as Wawrinka prepared to return serve at a crucial stage of the third set.Federers presence is a huge boost for the Swiss team, which has won just one of the 10 ties it has played without him in the top-tier World Group since his debut in the competition.The French players played down Federers injury, saying they never thought he would withdraw from the tie at the 27,000-capacity Pierre Mauroy Stadium.He had a four-day rest period, said Monfils, who has never beaten Federer on clay in four matches. Just before that he was playing his best tennis ever. If hes there, its because he feels good and he wants to win this competition. If Roger decided to play, its because he feels hes able to win the match, to beat me.Monfils is preparing for a rematch of his epic quarterfinal against Federer at the U.S. Open in September, when the Frenchman lost in five sets after going up two sets to one and failing to convert two match points.For sure I will have this special match in my mind, Monfils said. But this one will be different. You have someone with whom you can share your emotions during the match: the captain, who can help me if maybe Im tight in the match.French captain Arnaud Clement said Monfils current form was the decisive factor when he picked him over Richard Gasquet.Wawrinka, meanwhile, said he has recovered faster than expected from his loss to Federer in London last Saturday, when he wasted four match points.It was easier than I thought, Wawrinka said. First I was destroyed, and it was difficult on Sunday, too, when I learned about Rogers injury. But when I came here on Monday, something really positive started, and I was surprised how easy it was to switch. Yusei Kikuchi Mariners Jersey . Louis Blues have returned to the top spot in the TSN. Pat Borders Mariners Jersey . Despite Arsenals financial firepower, the 31-year-old midfielder was the only arrival in the January transfer window. Signed until the end of the season as injury cover, Kallstrom might not be fit until mid-March after arriving Friday at Arsenal having injured his back earlier in the week while training with Spartak Moscow. https://www.cheapmariners.com/2045k-j-p-...y-mariners.html. The premature end left 26 players still to finish the round in the Asian Tour event. Siddikur, who shot a bogey-free first round to share the lead with five others, eagled the par-5 first hole before bogeying twice and rebounding with six birdies. Seattle Mariners Shirts . City, fielding a depleted team having already qualified, was twice pegged back by the plucky Czech champions but substitute Negredo tapped home in the 78th minute and Dzekos header made sure of victory in the 89th. The result kept City three points behind Bayern Munich ahead of their meeting in Germany in two weeks. Austin Adams Jersey . The Detroit Tigers closer blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning Wednesday night against the Dodgers.Police have confirmed that defensive tackle Ron Brace, a 2009 second-round draft choice of the New England Patriots, has died at the age of 29. The cause of death is not being treated as suspicious, according to the Springfield Massachusetts Police Department.Boston College star Brace played in 39 games for the Patriots from 2009 to 2012.Hampered by injury, he then signed with Washington Redskins for a brief spell in February 2013, but was released shortly before the season began.We were deeply saddened to hear the news this morning of Ron Braces death, the Patriots said in a statement.Seven years ago tomorrow [Monday], we drafted Ron after his standout career at Boston College. During his Patriots career, the Springfield native was always eager to volunteer and give back in our communities, especially when those community initiatives were held in Western Mass.ddddddddddddIt is difficult to believe that someone so young and in the prime of his life is no longer with us. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Rons family, friends and the many former team-mates who will mourn Rons passing.Former Boston College team-mate Matt Ryan, who is now the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, paid tribute on Twitter, saying: Saddened to hear about the passing of friend and former team-mate Ron Brace. His smile was contagious. Thoughts and prayers to his family. Also See: NFL Video Rookies guide NFL on Sky Sports Pundits ' ' '