PERTH, Jan 3: Marat Safin paid the price for his later-than-scheduled arrival at the Hopman Cup as top seeds Russia suffered a shock defeat to Germany in their opening match on Monday.
The world number four delayed his flight from Moscow to collect an award from the Russian government and his lack of preparation eventually told as he lost 6-3 3-6 6-1 to world number 18 Tommy Haas.
Anastasia Myskina had put Russia ahead with a 6-3 6-3 win over Anna-Lena Groenefeld but Haas and Groenefeld, who only met for the first time three days ago, beat the Russian pair in the deciding mixed doubles, winning the match tiebreak 10-6 to clinch victory in their Group A tie.
Given that he had less than 24 hours to prepare for his match, Safin produced a commendable performance, recovering well from the loss of the first set to force a decider. But Haas, who arrived in Perth on Friday, always looked the fresher and an early break in the third set put him on his way to victory, levelling up the tie at 1-1. Myskina breezed past Groenefeld in 62 minutes.
And when Safin and Myskina hit back from the loss of the first set of the mixed doubles to level it up, it looked like they would go on to clinch the rubber, but the Germans held on to win it 10-6 and upset the top seeds.
Philippoussis beaten: In the opening match of the day, Mark Philippoussis was easily beaten on his first outing of the year but Australia still scrambled to a 2-1 victory over Slovakia in Group B.
After Alicia Molik defeated Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 6-3, Philippoussis, who plummeted to 109 in the world rankings in 2004, went down 7-5 6-2 to Dominik Hrbaty.
DOHA: World number one and top seed Roger Federer posted a fluent 6-1 6-1 victory over Spaniard David Ferrer in the first round of the ATP $1 million Qatar Open on Monday.
The Swiss, who won three grand slam titles last year, wrapped up the match in less than an hour with a superb display of his serve and volley game. Last year's runner-up and sixth seed Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia beat Switzerland's Stansilas Wawrinka 6-3 6-4. Seventh-seeded Spaniard Feliciano quelled a spirited challenge from Italy's Filippo Volandri 7-5 6-3.
QATAR OPEN RESULTS
DOHA: Results of first round matches at the ATP $1 million Qatar Open Tennis Tournament on Monday:
CHENNAI: Germany's Rainer Schuettler became the first seeded casualty at the $400,000 Chennai Open on Monday, knocked out by unfancied Frenchman Olivier Patience in the first round.
