Russia claims first Hopman Cup title
 Russia
won its first Hyundai Hopman Cup title by defeating Spain
2-0 in the final at the Burswood Dome in Perth, Australia
on Friday.
Nadia Petrova got Russia off to the perfect start in the
final by defeating Anabel Medina Garrigues 60 64, giving Dmitry
Tursunov a springboard from which to bring the team victory
with an impressive 64 75 win over Tommy Robredo. The mixed
doubles was then played as an exhibition pro-set. Russia now
has the complete set of ITF team event titles, having claimed
the Fed Cup twice (in 2004 and 2005), the Davis Cup twice
(2002 and 2006), and now the ITF’s official mixed team
competition.
“It’s really nice to win for the first time for
our country. After Davis Cup and Fed Cup, now we’ve
won the Hopman Cup – I don’t know if there are
any other cups out there but we want to win those too,”
joked Tursunov, who was of course part of the Russian Davis
Cup team that won the Cup in Moscow just a few weeks ago.
The pre-tournament favourites began the week with a surprise
first match loss to hosts Australia in Group A, but the fortunes
of the two nations differed dramatically after that. Russia
defeated USA before sweeping past France 3-0 to earn a place
in the final, while Mark Philippoussis suffered a career-threatening
knee injury in Australia’s loss to France.
“The way we started here we certainly didn’t
think we would end up like this,” said Petrova, after
receiving the trophy and special diamond encrusted tennis
balls from ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti. “It’s
only once a year that we get to play with men and women and
it’s very enjoyable for us. This tournament feels like
home.”
Spain won its place in the final by edging out India in Group
B thanks to a 2-1 victory over the qualifiers from the Asian
Hopman Cup, who had earlier defeated the fancied teams of
Czech Republic and Croatia. It set up a final clash between
the top two seeds in which the Russians justified their No.
1 position to claim the AUS$250,000 first prize.
|
