Hopman Cup
Poland clinched the mixed-team Hopman Cup event in Perthwith a hard-fought victory over the United States, denying Serena Wiliams anhistoric third overall win in the annual competition. The combined team ofAgnieszka Radwanska and Jerzy Janowicz prevailed in the decisive mixed-doubles’rubber, after the singles’ rubbers had been split between the two teams, onevictory apiece.
Williams has endured mixed fortunes in her individualmatches this week and once again found her opponent just too good on the day asworld number five seed Radwanska closed out the game 6-4 6-7 6-1, running awaywith the match in the final set after Williams had clawed her way back into itby taking the second set tie-break.
John Isner brought the tie level overall by securing astraight sets success over Janowicz 7-6 6-4 in their singles encounter asbefits his higher world ranking, before the mixed-doubles went to the Poles 7-56-3.
Chennai Open
Swiss number two Stan Wawrinka will meet the non-seededqualifier Aljaz Bedene from Slovenia in the final of the Chennai Open, afterovercoming the Belgian David Goffin 7-5 6-3 at the semi-finals stage. Bedenesurprised the more fancied Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut to edge a close match3-6 6-3 7-6 on a final set tie-break, after saving match-points against him inthe third set. Bedene, ranked 156th in the world, had already beaten two seedson the way through to the semis when he knocked out Feliciano Lopez andGuillermo Garcia-Lopez, in addition to surviving three qualifying rounds.
It has proved to be an amazing week for the Slovenian sofar, but he may struggle to contain Wawrinka in the final after a second consecutivethree-setter may have drained his energy levels. Wawrinka will be keen todefend the title he won twelve months ago, but will be wary of Bedene after helost to the same player in the 2013 version of the tournament at thequarter-finals (Bedene lost in the semis that year), indicating the outsider’sliking for this event.
Qatar Open
DavidFerrer took the Qatar Open title by beating the Czech Tomas Berdych 6-4 7-5 inDoha. The Spaniard was seeded one place behind his opponent for the tournamentbut claimed his 22nd career title on the tour, clearly beginning tosee the fruits of his partnership with new coach and fellow countryman FranciscoFogues.
Ferreracknowledged afterwards that he may have been slightly fortunate to win, takingthe important points at crucial times during the match. He had the far toughersemi to recover from after an epic three-setter against the giant, veteran IvoKarlovic who had knocked favourite Novak Djokovic out of the competition in anearlier round, but his powers of recuperation are well-known and he showed fewsigns of weariness in overcoming Berdych in the final.
