Cagey veteran Dominik Hrbaty conjured an upset 3-0 win for the Slovak Republic over defending champions the United States in the mixed teams Hopman Cup here Monday.
The day after his 31st birthday, Hrbaty belied his lowly ranking to stun American James Blake, snatching an enthralling singles encounter in three sets to secure the Group A tie for the Slovaks against the top seeds.
Earlier, teenager Dominika Cibulkova had brushed aside Meghann Shaughnessy, a late inclusion for the injured Serena Williams and on the comeback trail after a major knee injury, in straight sets to give the Slovaks a 1-0 lead.
Ranked 250th in the world after elbow problems in recent years, Hrbaty took advantage of some reckless shots by the 10th-ranked Blake to snatch victory in a lopsided third set tie-break, 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7/1).
The pair, both previous Hopman Cup winners, traded powerful blows from the back of the court and produced some exhilarating rallies, but Blake was guilty of being too aggressive at times and racked up 62 unforced errors, to Hrbaty's 35.
The normally unflappable Blake grew frustrated as the match wore on, finding himself warned for an audible obscenity in the third set, and also arguing with the chair umpire over one point a short time later.
The American was also left pondering what might have been, as he had six break points in the ninth game of the third set, when a break would have had him serving for the match.
In the deciding tie-break, Hrbaty lifted his game to a new level to race to a 6-0 lead as he notched his first win in three matches against Blake.
"That is my first big win after I came back from the injury," he said.
"I played really well today and played some beautiful tennis; I am ranked 240 places below James and I beat a top 10 player and it cannot be any better.
"I get very excited when I play for my country, I think we have a good chance this week."
The 19-year-old Cibulkova had few problems with a struggling Shaughnessy, who looked very much like a player short on match practice after only playing a handful of tournaments last year, winning 6-2 6-2.
In the dead mixed doubles rubber, the Slovaks made it a clean sweep by beating the Americans in straight sets.
Earlier on Monday, former world number one Lleyton Hewitt made a winning return from hip surgery, but couldn't prevent Australia's narrow 2-1 defeat to Germany in their Group A tie.
Hewitt was impressive in his 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Nicolas Kiefer but the German took his revenge with a thrilling match tie-break win in the decisive mixed doubles encounter 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 10-5.
"It was a great way to start the year. He is a really tough opponent, it was a matter of me hanging in there and weathering the storm, and in the end I was able to turn the match around," said Hewitt, 27, after the match.
Hewitt ended 2008 ranked 68th, the first time he had been outside the top 50 since 1998, and was playing for the first time since his operation after the Beijing Olympics in August.
The former US Open and Wimbledon champion, who has set himself the goal of climbing back into the top 10, appeared to be moving freely in his comeback match as he recovered from a set down against Kiefer.
However, he was upstaged by German teenager Sabine Lisicki, who came from a set down to beat hometown favourite Casey Dellacqua in the women's singles before helping Kiefer clinch the doubles.
The 19-year-old Lisicki reeled off the last three games of the singles match as Dellacqua dramatically imploded on her Hopman Cup debut, winning just one of the last 13 points after serving for the match in front of her home crowd.
Monday, January 5, 2009
ATP Doha : Junqueira vs Arnaud Live Streaming Online
The Swiss was ousted from the top of the rankings by Rafael Nadal last August and his aura of invincibility was broken by defeat in the Wimbledon final before he silenced his doubters with victory in the US Open - his 13th Grand Slam crown.
The 27-year-old said he was feeling much fitter at the start of this season compared to last year where he was recovering from a bout of glandular fever.
"I expect 2009 to be a good year and for various reasons I am under less pressure too," Federer said in Doha, where he opens this season's campaign at this week's Qatar Open.
"I have been dominating for several years and obviously I think I can do it again. I have a very strong technique ... I am mentally and tactically also quite strong," he added. "I have that ability to decide to how much should I attack and defend.
Hopefully I can win more titles this year.
"This time last year, I was sick. But now I am fully fit."
He said playing in last week's exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, where he lost in the semi-finals to Britain's Andy Murray, had given him the chance to try out some new tactics.
"I practised a lot recently. I tried out many new things in Abu Dhabi - in volleying, charging to the net and playing defensive. Since it was an exhibition event I could do it. But it helped me know where I stood and make those small adjustments," he said.
This month's Australian Open offers Federer his next chance to match Sampras's Grand Slam record and he is relishing the opportunity after losing in the semi-finals last year in the start of a string of setbacks he suffered in 2008.
"I have many goals for 2009. One of them is to regain my top ranking and another is to win at least one more Grand Slam," said Federer.
"Every Grand Slam I win will be more meaningful to me. When I win the first one in 2009 it could equal Pete Sampras's record. Everything is going to be special.
"I have been dominating the field for the past several years. 2008 has been a good and bad year, but that has not changed my perspective."
Federer said he faced more challengers than in recent years with world numbers three and four Novak Djokovic and Murray joining him and Nadal as the dominant forces.
"I think four of us have moved far ahead of the rest of the Top 10. The top four rankings can keep changing often, there are lot of possibilities to this in 2009," said the Swiss, who is just 20 points ahead of Djokovic in the ATP standings.
Depending on their performances this week, Djokovic could overtake Federer in the rankings but the Swiss said he was not unduly concerned.
"I'm not worried about it. Anyway it's not the number one spot," he said with a laugh.
On the court, American fourth seed Andy Roddick and fifth seeded Gael Monfils of France both reached the second round of the event in Doha with easy wins.
Roddick beat Spaniard Ivan Navarro 6-1 6-3 in a little over an hour while Monfils outplayed Czech Republic's Jan Hernych in a 6-2 6-2 victory.
"I didn't do anything stupid," said Roddick. "I was pretty happy with the way I played."
Monfils, who lost to Federer in the 2006 final in Doha, was too good for Hernych.
The Frenchman won the first set in quick time, breaking his opponent in the fourth and eighth games, and took a 5-1 lead in the second before seeing off a short-lived fightback from Hernych and clinching the win in 55 minutes.
"It was a good match to start the season," said Monfils. "If I win one more match, then I should run into Rafa (Nadal).
"I have been practising hard and did everything perfectly today."
The 27-year-old said he was feeling much fitter at the start of this season compared to last year where he was recovering from a bout of glandular fever.
"I expect 2009 to be a good year and for various reasons I am under less pressure too," Federer said in Doha, where he opens this season's campaign at this week's Qatar Open.
"I have been dominating for several years and obviously I think I can do it again. I have a very strong technique ... I am mentally and tactically also quite strong," he added. "I have that ability to decide to how much should I attack and defend.
Hopefully I can win more titles this year.
"This time last year, I was sick. But now I am fully fit."
He said playing in last week's exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, where he lost in the semi-finals to Britain's Andy Murray, had given him the chance to try out some new tactics.
"I practised a lot recently. I tried out many new things in Abu Dhabi - in volleying, charging to the net and playing defensive. Since it was an exhibition event I could do it. But it helped me know where I stood and make those small adjustments," he said.
This month's Australian Open offers Federer his next chance to match Sampras's Grand Slam record and he is relishing the opportunity after losing in the semi-finals last year in the start of a string of setbacks he suffered in 2008.
"I have many goals for 2009. One of them is to regain my top ranking and another is to win at least one more Grand Slam," said Federer.
"Every Grand Slam I win will be more meaningful to me. When I win the first one in 2009 it could equal Pete Sampras's record. Everything is going to be special.
"I have been dominating the field for the past several years. 2008 has been a good and bad year, but that has not changed my perspective."
Federer said he faced more challengers than in recent years with world numbers three and four Novak Djokovic and Murray joining him and Nadal as the dominant forces.
"I think four of us have moved far ahead of the rest of the Top 10. The top four rankings can keep changing often, there are lot of possibilities to this in 2009," said the Swiss, who is just 20 points ahead of Djokovic in the ATP standings.
Depending on their performances this week, Djokovic could overtake Federer in the rankings but the Swiss said he was not unduly concerned.
"I'm not worried about it. Anyway it's not the number one spot," he said with a laugh.
On the court, American fourth seed Andy Roddick and fifth seeded Gael Monfils of France both reached the second round of the event in Doha with easy wins.
Roddick beat Spaniard Ivan Navarro 6-1 6-3 in a little over an hour while Monfils outplayed Czech Republic's Jan Hernych in a 6-2 6-2 victory.
"I didn't do anything stupid," said Roddick. "I was pretty happy with the way I played."
Monfils, who lost to Federer in the 2006 final in Doha, was too good for Hernych.
The Frenchman won the first set in quick time, breaking his opponent in the fourth and eighth games, and took a 5-1 lead in the second before seeing off a short-lived fightback from Hernych and clinching the win in 55 minutes.
"It was a good match to start the season," said Monfils. "If I win one more match, then I should run into Rafa (Nadal).
"I have been practising hard and did everything perfectly today."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
