January 04, 2008	Friday	Zilhaj 24, 1428

PERTH, Jan 3: Top seeds Serbia shrugged off Jelena Jankovic’s ongoing injury on Thursday to clinch a Hopman Cup final showdown with United States.

Serbia beat Argentina 2-1 to finish top of Group A while the US, led by Serena Williams, whitewashed hosts Australia 3-0 to win Group B.

World No 3 Jankovic, who hurt her right leg on Wednesday, could not complete her singles match with Gisela Dulko as Argentina went 1-0 up against the Serbs.

Novak Djokovic, the men’s world number three, levelled the contest with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Juan Ignacio Chela before Jankovic returned to help Serbia win the mixed doubles 6-1, 3-6, 7-6.

Jankovic sported heavy strapping to her right thigh but looked a little more agile against Dulko than she had on Wednesday.

The Serb won the first set 12-10 on a tiebreak before quitting after being broken in the second game of the second set.

In the same group, Tatiana Golovin crushed Hsieh Su-wei 6-1, 6-1 before Arnaud Clement beat Lu Yen-hsun 7-6, 6-4 as France defeated Chinese Taipei 3-0.

Earlier, former world No 1 Williams put the second-seeded Americans one up on Australia with a 6-2, 7-6 win over Alicia Molik before Mardy Fish overcame Peter Luczak 7-6, 7-6.

Williams and Fish then outclassed Molik and Luczak 6-2, 6-3 in the mixed doubles.

In the other Group B match, Czech Republic defeated India 2-1.

Lucie Safarova held off Sania Mirza to put the Czechs ahead with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory before boyfriend Tomas Berdych triumphed 6-4, 6-0 against Rohan Bopanna.

Sania and Bopanna took their Hopman Cup mixed doubles record to six wins out of six with a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Results:

Group B

United States bt Australia 3-0

Women’s singles: Serena Williams bt Alicia Molik 6-2, 7-6 (9-7).

Men’s singles: Mardy Fish bt Peter Luczak 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (12-10)

Mixed doubles: Williams/Fish (US) bt Molik/Luczak 6-2, 6-3

Czech Republic bt India 2-1

Women’s singles: Lucie Safarova (CZE) bt Sania Mirza (IND) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.

Men’s singles: Tomas Berdych (CZE) bt Rohan Bopanna (IND) 6-4, 6-0.

Mixed doubles: Sania/Bopanna (IND) bt Safarova/Berdych (CZE) 6-3, 6-2

Group A

France bt Taiwan 3-0

Women’s singles: Tatiana Golovin bt Hsieh Su-wei 6-1, 6-1.

Men’s singles: Arnaud Clement bt Lu Yen-hsun 7-6 (7-2), 6-4

Mixed doubles: Golovin/Clement bt Hsieh/Lu 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (10-6)

Serbia bt Argentina 2-1

Women’s singles: Gisela Dulko (ARG) bt Jelena Jankovic (SER) 6-7 (10/12), 2-0 – Jankovic retired

Men’s singles: Novak Djokovic (SER) bt Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) 6-2, 6-3.

Mixed doubles: Jankovic/Djokovic (SER) bt Dulko/Chela (ARG) 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (10-4).

—Agencies