PERTH, Australia — The drama continued at the A$1 million ($750,000) Hopman Cup international mixed team tennis tournament yesterday after host nation Australia forfeited its place in the final against the United States. Australia’s leading women’s player Alicia Molik announced she would not compete after again tearing a tendon in her left foot in a single’s match on Thursday.
Her decision thrust the Slovak Republic into the limelight with the pairing of Daniela Hantuchova and Karol Kucera now taking Australia’s place. They will meet the American duo of Lindsay Davenport and James Blake at the Burswood Dome here today.
Medical scans showed up an injury that troubled Molik on both feet at different times last year. She said she would be unlikely to play in the Adidas International event in Sydney next week and would not play in the Australian Open starting in Melbourne on Jan. 19 unless the injury was completely healed.
The US ensured it would be able to defend the title it won last year when it downed Russia 3-0 yesterday, its third clean sweep in a row, following victories over the Czech Republic and France.
Davenport has been training hard since an injury-afflicted season last year. She has been in scintillating form throughout the tournament and seems likely to present a significant threat in the Australian Open.
The current world No. 5 has not dropped a set in her three singles matches, keeping that record in tact with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Anastasia Myskina. She will now be pitted against out-of-form Slovakian Hantuchova in the final while Blake will meet Kucera, who tested former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt on Thursday.
Blake has also shown outstanding touch downing giant Russian Marat Safin 6-7 (4 7), 7-6 (7 4), 6-4 in a flawless display marked by some impressive athleticism.
Also in action yesterday were France and the Czech Republic who were fighting for third place in Group A.
In the women’s singles France’s world No. 4 Amelie Mauresmo defeated teen Barbora Strycova 6-3, 6-4 while Jiri Novak leveled the tie for the Czechs 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 against Fabrice Santoro. France won the mixed doubles winning 5-3, 6-4.
Llodra Upsets Spadea at Australian Hardcourts
Doubles specialist Michael Llodra upset second seed Vincent Spadea 6-4, 6-2 yesterday to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian men’s hardcourt championships in Adelaide.
Fifth-seed Taylor Dent of the US posted a 7-6, 6-2 win over former Australian Open champion, Swede Thomas Johansson, who is playing his first tournament in 14 months. Finland’s sixth-seed Jarkko Nieminen disposed of Australian wildcard Todd Reid 6-2, 7-5 to book his place in the semis. The left-handed Nieminen will play Dominik Hrbaty after the Slovakian beat Cyril Saulnier of France 6-4, 7-6.
Daniilidou and the Giantkiller Promise Classic Final
In Auckland, a lion-hearted performance by defending champion Eleni Daniilidou and a marathon effort from American prodigy Ashley Harkleroad sorted out the finalists in the Auckland Classic women’s tennis tournament yesterday.
Third-seed Daniilidou outlasted top-seed Paolo Suarez 7-6, 6-4, while the 18-year-old Harkleroad reached her first WTA final by coming from a set down to beat Marion Bartoli of France 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Paradorn Marches Into Indian Open Semifinals
In Madras, defending champion Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand stayed on course for a third successive ATP Indian Open final when he cruised into the semifinals yesterday.
Paradorn, ranked 11th in the world, brushed aside a strong challenge from Igor Andreev of Russia to win 6-3, 7-6 (7 2) in 90 minutes on the center court of the Nungambakkam Stadium. The 90th-ranked Russian did not lose heart even after a break in the fourth game cost him the first set.
Venus Thrilled to Be Back Competing
Meanwhile, Venus Williams was celebrating yesterday after cruising past Chanda Rubin 6-2, 6-3 in her first match for more than six months. The former world No. 1 indicated she was ready to mount a challenge at this month’s Australian Open after overwhelming her compatriot in straight sets.
Williams, 23, said in Hong Kong afterward she was fully recovered from an abdominal injury that wrecked her season in 2003.
