December 27, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 16, 1428

PERTH, Dec 26: Veteran Frenchman Arnaud Clement will replace Gael Monfils as Tatiana Golovin’s playing partner at the mixed teams Hopman Cup, starting here on Saturday.

And in a further Hopman Cup development, it was announced here on Wednesday that American drawcard Serena Williams would make a late start to the event due to illness.

Williams will not arrive in the Western Australian capital in time to partner Mardy Fish in the Americans’ opening tie in the tournament against Indians Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna on Saturday.

The world number seven will be replaced by the 52nd-ranked Meghann Shaughnessy.

There had been concern over Williams’ attendance at the tournament because of recent injuries, but she has assured organisers she will arrive in Perth over the weekend.

Under Hopman Cup rules, player substitutions are allowed between ties.

The 21-year-old Monfils succumbed to a knee problem and was forced to withdraw from the tournament, making him a doubt for next month’s Australian Open.

The big-hitting Monfils, who has battled several injuries during his short career, cited tendonitis in a knee for his withdrawal.

Although seeded fourth for the Hopman Cup, the French duo of Golovin and Monfils had been given a strong chance of upsetting the top-seeded Serbian duo of Novak Djokovic and Jelena Jankovic.

However, the wily Clement is no stranger to Australian conditions.

The Swiss-based 30-year-old was an Australian Open finalist in 2001 and played at the Hopman Cup in 2002.

France, which took part in the inaugural Hopman Cup in 1989, is yet to win the tournament in 14 attempts.

The French open their Hopman Cup campaign on Sunday against the Argentine pairing of Gisela Dulko and Juan Ignacio Chela.—AFP