Slovak Republic pair of Dominik Hrbaty and Dominika Cibulkova pulled off a major upset to win the $1-million ITF Hyundai Hopman Cup tennis championship in Perth’s Burswood Dome.
It was the Slovak nation’s 3rd Cup win in eight appearances at the international mixed teams championship.
The victory was clinched by Hrbaty in a thrilling singles battle, beating Russia’s Marat Safin, a former world No. 1, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 7-6 (7/3). Earlier, Cibulkova had beaten world no. 3 Dinara Safina 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 6-4.
In a power-packed six hours of tennis, the Slovaks survived against higher-ranked opponents after both teams had gone into the final undefeated from their three round robin matches.
The 19-year-old Cibulkova, ranked 19 in the world, converted five of her 10 break point opportunities in her singles win and completed the week unbeaten in four matches, plus two mixed doubles.
Her partner, who celebrated his 31st birthday earlier in Cup week, survived numerous crisis moments as the powerful Safin blasted 22 aces past him.
The victory belied Hrbaty’s singles ranking of 252 after a career high of 14. Safin, ranked at 29 after a year of injury, has announced that this could well be his last year on Tour.
The Slovaks shared a winner’s prize of A$250,000, plus two diamond-encrusted tennis balls.
P.S. If you do not know the relationship between Cibulkova and Jurgen Melzer, click here.
(Via Hopman Cup official website; Images by Tony Ashby/AFP/Getty Images))
How could Chinese Taipei possibly miss the golden chance to beat the Russian team? Russia's bro & sis team of Marat Safin and Dinara Safina has survived a tough challenge from Chinese Taipei to win 2-1 and remain unbeaten at the Hyundai Hopman Cup. I'm devastated and I just can't accept the fact that Hsieh Su-wei and Rendy Lu Yen-hsun wasted such opportunities to win the singles matches.
Here are the final results: Russia 2 defeated Chinese Taipei 1- Dinara Safina d Hsieh Su-Wei 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
- Marat Safin d Yen-Hsun Lu 7-6 (8/6), 7-5
- Safina/Safin lost to Hsieh/Lu 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8/10)
Safin, who has announced that 2009 is his final year on Tour, didn’t find things easy against Rendy, but is delighted to begin his Australian summer with two wins. "He's a very complete player, is very smart, fast and good from all the sides. He seems to read the game well, his anticipation is incredible and it's quite tough to break him," Safin said.
The Russian team will face the highly-rated French team of Alize Cornet and Gilles Simon on Thursday night to guarantee qualification. A French victory will mean that France, Russia and Italy could all be on two victories by the end of the Round-Robin series and the finalist from Group A will be decided by the calculator. (Via Hopman Cup official website)
I watched the Hopman Cup, the match between France and Taiwan today. I honestly thought Taiwan had a chance. Well, I hope but it didn't happen.
It was a disappointing lost for Taiwan who can't handlehot favourite, France.
Alize Cornet beat Hsieh Su-wei 6-4, 6-4 and Gilles Simon defeated Rendy Lu Yen-hsun 6-3, 7-6 (8).
Rendy should have lend his shirt to Gilles.
The duo will play Italy's Flavia Pennetta and Simone Bolelli next up on Tuesday.
(Images via Yahoo! Sport)
Slovak Republic pair of Dominik Hrbaty and Dominika Cibulkova pulled off a major upset to win the $1-million ITF Hyundai Hopman Cup tennis championship in Perth’s Burswood Dome.
In a power-packed six hours of tennis, the Slovaks survived against higher-ranked opponents after both teams had gone into the final undefeated from their three round robin matches.
