PERTH: Roger Federer has become the most successful player in Hopman Cup history after leading Switzerland to a 2-1 win in an enthralling final of the mixed teams tournament in Perth on Saturday.

In what is tipped to be the final edition of the unique tournament, the best was saved for last as Federer became the first player to win three Hopman Cups, teaming with Belinda Bencic for the duo’s second consecutive title.

For the second year in a row, the Swiss beat the German pairing of Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber by claiming a deciding mixed doubles rubber loaded with drama.

It was Switzerland’s fourth title overall, behind only the US with six. Federer first won the Hopman Cup back in 2001 when he teamed with Martina Hingis.

The 37-year-old gave the Swiss the early ascendancy with a straight sets win against Zverev, before Kerber squared the tie by beating a dogged Belinda Bencic to set up the mixed doubles decider.

Federer was a dominant figure in an extraordinary doubles match as the Swiss claimed the abbreviated format 4-0, 1-4, 4-3 (5-4) to clinch the title.

Fittingly, it was Federer who served out the match in the third set tie-break, having been unable to do so earlier in the set, when after an extended rally Zverev dumped a backhand into the net to hand the Swiss victory.

In the men’s singles, Federer bounced back from a November loss to Zverev in London to beat the big-serving German 6-4, 6-2 and make it a clean sweep of his singles matches in Perth for the second year running, less than two weeks before he defends his Australian Open title.

It was a high-octane match, with plenty of big serves and clean winners, but Federer was able to answer everything the 21-year-old threw at him.

He broke Zverev in the 10th game of the first set and then tightened the noose on the German, with two more breaks in the second set.

Federer, who also beat Zverev in three sets in last year’s Hopman final, clin­ched the match with a typically crisp forehand volley.

He was pleased to maintain his unbeaten singles record during the week, during which he never dropped his serve.

“I am happy I was able to maintain the good, high quality tennis I showed all week,” he said.

“It is good to finish on a singles performance like this, I was able to come up with some good serve and volley and it all worked out today.”

World number two Kerber appeared set for an easy win in her singles match against Bencic, taking the first set and then claiming an early break in the second.

The German served at 5-4, but the match took a sudden twist as Bencic broke back, only for Kerber to immediately break again.

For a second time Kerber was unable to serve out the match, as Bencic forced it to a tie-break.

Kerber had two match points at 6-4, but Bencic again hung on grimly and won the next two points.

It wasn’t until Kerber’s third chance that a backhand winner secured the 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) win.

Critical was Kerber’s ability to convert all four of her break points during the match, while Bencic was only successful on two of seven.

Kerber praised Bencic’s tenacity, saying she was always a determined opponent.

“She was fighting until the last one [point],” she said.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2019