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| January 5, 2006 | Thursday | Zilhaj 4, 1426 |
Top seeded Russians send Swedes packing
PERTH, Jan 4: Sweden crashed out of Hopman Cup contention here Wednesday losing 2-1 to top seeds Russia and setting up a three-way race for a berth in the final of the international mixed teams tournament.
The weakened Russian combination of Yuri Schukin and Svetlana Kuznetsova showed greater passion than the Swedish team of Thomas Johansson and Sofia Arvidsson.
The result meant that all eight ties in the tournament have so far finished 2-1.
Earlier in the day, second seeds Argentina, represented by Gisela Dulko and Gaston Gaudio set up an equally-intriguing race to top Group B after they beat the German pair of Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Nicolas Kiefer.
Only hosts Australia are now out of contention in that group with the Netherlands, Argentina and Germany all still in with a chance to reach Friday’s final.
Russia had come close to claiming a 2-0 lead in their tie when the unheralded Schukin, ranked 299 in the world, took Johansson, a former Australian Open champion, to the wire before losing 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/4).
Kuzsnetsova had earlier claimed the women’s singles with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 win over Arvidsson.
Earlier, Kiefer cruised past Argentina’s Gaudio 6-3, 6-3, but the German’s efforts weren’t enough to carry his team to victory.
Results
Group A
Russia bt Sweden 2-1
Women’s singles: Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4
Men’s singles: Thomas Johansson (SWE) bt Yuri Schukin (RUS) 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/4)
Mixed doubles: Schukin/Kuznetsova bt Johansson/ Arvidsson 6-3, 7-5
Group B
Argentina bt Germany 2-1
Women’s singles: Giesela Dulko (ARG) bt Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) 6-1, 6-0
Men’s singles: Nicolas Kiefer (GER) bt Gaston Gaudio (ARG) 6-3, 6-3
Mixed doubles: Gaudio/Dulko (ARG) bt Kiefer/Groenefeld (GER) 7-5, 6-0
Robredo, Ancic BEATEN
MELBOURNE: Third seed Tommy Robredo suffered a surprise 7-6 3-6 6-3 defeat to unheralded Frenchman Florent Serra in the second round of the Australian hardcourt championships on Wednesday.
Results: Round 2: Florent Serra (FRA) bt Tommy Robredo (ESP) 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-3; Xavier Malisse (BEL) bt Mario Ancic (CRO) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10/8)
Doha ATP
DOHA: Results in the US$975,000 ATP Doha tournament on Tuesday:
First round: Dmitri Tursonov (RUS) bt Janjko Tipsarevic (SEM) 7-5, 6-2; Robin Vik (CZE) bt Andrei Pavel (ROM) 2-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/1); Younes El Aynaoui (MAR) bt Sebastien Grosjean (FRA x4) 6-4, 6-4; Potito Starace (ITA) bt Igor Andreev (RUS x5) 7-5, 1-6, 7-5; Roger Federer (SWI) bt Ivo Minar (CZE) 6-1, 6-3; Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) bt Christophe Rochus (BEL) 6-3, 6-1; Fabrice Santoro (FRA) bt Oliver Marach (AUT) 6-0, 2-6, 6-4; Filippo Volandri (ITA) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 6-4, 6-4;
CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE
HONG KONG: Results in the Champions Challenge invitational tournament on on Wednesday:
Elena Dementieva (RUS) bt Serena Williams (USA) 6-3, 6-1; Lindsay Davenport (USA) bt Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) 6-2, 6-2.
Chennai OPEN
CHENNAI: Results of matches at the ATP Chennai Open at the Nungambakkam Stadium on Wednesday:
Second round
Bjorn Phau (GER) bt Michael Berrer (GER) 1-6, 6-2, 6-4; Radek Stepanek (CZE) bt Prakash Amritraj (IND) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4; Thierry Ascione (FRA) bt Tomas Behrend (GER x8) 6-4, 6-1; Carlos Moya (ESP) bt Justin Gimelstob (USA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Mondial Results
GOLD COAST CITY: Results from the Mondial Australian Women’s Hardcourts women’s singles second round matches on Wednesday
Tatiana Golovin (France) bt Sybille Bammer (Austria) 6-1 6-3; Martina Hingis (Switzerland) bt Klara Koukalova (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-2; Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) bt Angela Haynes (United States) 6-3 6-0; Nuria Llagostera (Spain) bt Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 6-3 6-1.
Auckland classics
AUCKLAND: Results of matches at the Auckland Classic women’s tennis tournament on Wednesday:
Round 2: Marion Bartoli (FRA) bt Laura Granville (USA) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; Nadia Petrova (RUS) bt Vera Dushevina (RUS) 6-3, 6-0; Kristina Brandi (PUR) bt Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (ESP) 6-4, 6-1; Daniela Hantuchova (SLO) bt Jill Craybas (USA) 6-3, 6-1; Maria Kirilenko (RUS) bt Viktoria Azarenka (BLR) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.—Agencies
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