USA claim fifth Hopman Cup Title
 USA
won its fifth Hyundai Hopman Cup title by defeating Serbia
2-1 in a pulsating final, at the Burswood Dome in Perth, Australia
on Friday.
Jelena Jankovic, who had failed to finish her two previous
singles matches after suffering a muscle strain, didn’t
even try to take the court against Serena Williams in the
first singles and forfeited the match to give the United States
an immediate 1-0 lead. The pressure then was on Novak Djokovic
to win his singles against Mardy Fish to give the Serbians
any chance of victory.
In the first set, there was some strong rallying from both
players, but Djokovic found the extra pace when it was needed
and comfortably took the opening set 62. However, Fish competed
more strongly in the second and threatened Djokovic by breaking
for 2-1 and 4-3. But he immediately conceded his own serve
on each occasion, and Djokovic went on to earn a match point
at 5-4. Fish escaped by forcing a forehand error, and then
took a 4-0 lead in the tiebreak before winning it 7-4. The
Serb received treatment to his right shoulder before commencing
the deciding set, and his game blew hot and cold as the outcome
of the match, and the tie, hung in the balance. There were
no breaks of serve through to the tiebreak, with the World
No. 3 eventually edging out the American 7-4 for a victory
that took an exhausting two hours 46-minutes.
The doubles would decide not only which country would lift
the Cup, but also who would own the pair of diamond-encrusted
gold tennis balls worth $30,000 each. Although Jankovic was
vulnerable as she had difficulty pushing off on her serve,
the Serbians got off to a great start, racing to a 4-1 lead.
The USA then won the next three games to level the set, with
it eventually going to a tiebreak. Williams and Fish claimed
it seven points to five to hold a crucial advantage over Serbia.
Fatigue and injury finally got the better of the Serbian
team with the USA wrapping up the second set 62, to be crowned
Hyundai Hopman Cup XX champions.
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