PARIS -- Andy Roddick and James Blake couldn't change the luck of the United States on the clay at Roland Garros.

	Andy Roddick battled through Sunday's match with sore muscles in his lower back.

Sebastien Grosjean overcame an ankle injury and beat Andy Roddick 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, giving France its third win in the best-of-five competition and clinching a spot in the final of the Davis Cup. James Blake beat Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-3 in 49 minutes in the final singles match. France won 3-2 overall.

The loss was the United States' fifth to France in five appearances at Roland Garros. The U.S. team hadn't played at the home of the French Open since 1932, but Roddick, Blake and Todd Martin struggled on the slow surface -- just as their predecessors had.

"We're going to be a force on clay,'' U.S. team captain Patrick McEnroe pledged after the loss.

Defending champion France will play Russia, a 3-2 winner over Argentina in the other semifinal, in the Nov. 29-Dec. 1 final. The French are seeking their first back-to-back titles since 1932.

"He just stayed there mentally the whole time,'' Roddick said of Grosjean, ranked No. 9 in the ATP's entry system. "When I didn't make one or two forehand errors in a service game, he was ready to come up with the shots.

"I don't know if I wouldn't have minded a faster surface, but you've got to play with the cards that you're dealt.''

Both players battled injuries on the dry and slightly chilly center court. Grosjean had his right ankle taped after skidding and falling in the second set, which he lost. Roddick played the bulk of the match with a large patch on his lower back to soothe sore muscles.

"I don't think I served my best today,'' Roddick said. "I didn't really have the same pop I had the other day on my serve.''

Roddick had six aces, compared to 20 in his loss to Clement on Friday. In the last set, he double-faulted to concede a break, after which he sat down, cursed, and threw his towel angrily to the ground.

Roddick also struggled with his forehand, although in the second set he fired one Grosjean, who crouched at the net and used his racket to shield himself. The shot bounced off and Roddick volleyed it to the baseline to win the point.

McEnroe saw improvement in Roddick's play.

"His game's improved, but it's got to continue,'' he said. "Now players know him and they know his weaknesses. The stakes get higher as you get better.''

The United States, the winner of a record 31 Davis Cup titles, last reached the final in 1997 and has not won the event since 1995. The Americans lost their four previous matches against France at Roland Garros between 1928-32.

In addition to Blake's win over Clement, the Americans' only other victory came in the doubles. Blake and Martin beat Michael Llodra and Fabrice Santoro in five sets.

France took a 2-0 advantage Friday after Clement beat Roddick and Grosjean defeated Blake. The Americans rallied from an 0-2 deficit just once, in the 1934 interzone final against Australia.

France, 7-7 against the United States, hasn't lost a Davis Cup match in more than two years, running its streak to eighth straight. The French record of 11 straight tie wins was set in 1932.

After the winning point, the diminutive Grosjean was lifted in the air by his teammates as French fans cheered. But the dejected Roddick had already walked off.

"I wasn't really hanging around much to watch the spectacle of it,'' he said. "Obviously, I'm sure it's a nice feeling.''