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PERTH (Australia), Dec 31: World number one Lleyton Hewitt and his lowly ranked partner Alicia Molik carried Australia to a 3-0 victory over Slovakia in the Hopman Cup here Tuesday.
The clean sweep gave a big boost to Australia’s chances of reaching Saturday’s final of the million dollar (640,000 US) nine-nation mixed teams contest at Burswood Dome.
Hewitt outclassed 51st-ranked Dominik Hrbaty 6-2, 6-0 in 56 minutes in the men’s singles after Molik had caused a second major upset by whipping world number eight Daniela Hantuchova in the women’s singles.
Molik, 21, who is ranked 94th, scorched home in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 in the women’s singles.
The Australians made it a clean sweep when they overpowered their opponents in the mixed doubles, winning 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5).
The Australian pair, who beat Italy Sunday, became the first team to gain two wins in the tournament.
They will be certain of qualifying for the showdown if they can topple the Czech Republic’s Jiri Novak (ranked seventh) and Daja Bedanova (37th) Thursday.
In Tuesday’s clash, Hewitt, 21, outclassed his 24-year-old opponent, wrapping up the opening set in 21 minutes and the match inside an hour.
Hewitt beat Sanguinetti in straight sets Sunday, but was not happy with the quality of his play.
Molik’s win gave her her first victory over a top 10 player.
It came two days after Molik beat Italy’s 17th-ranked Silvia Farina-Elia.
Upsetting her better credentialled opponent with her big serve, Molik wrapped up the opening set in 38 minutes.
Results (Group B):
Australia bt 5-Slovakia 3-0 (Australian names first)
Lleyton Hewitt/Alicia Molik bt Dominik Hrbaty/Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-5); Lleyton Hewitt bt Dominik Hrbaty 6-2 6-0;
Alicia Molik bt Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 6-2
Vliegen dumps Enqvist
ADELAIDE: Former champion Thomas Enqvist was a shock first-round loser at the Australian men’s hardcourt championship on Tuesday.
The Swede, who won the Adelaide title in 1999 before going on to reach the Australian Open final, crashed to a 3-6 6-4 6-3 loss to Belgian qualifier Kristof Vliegen.
Results
Max Mirnyi bt Stefano Galvani (Italy) 7-6 (7-5) 6-2; Kristof Vliegen bt Thomas Enqvist 3-6 6-4 6-3; Ivan Ljubicic bt Jeff Morrison 6-4 6-3; Alberto Martin bt Jurgen Melzer 6-1 6-3; Arvind Parmar bt Harel Levy 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-1; Martin Verkerk bt Florent Serra 6-3 6-4; Nikolay Davydenko bt Irakli Labadze 6-2 7-6 (7-5); Anthony Dupuis bt Karol Beck 6-4 6-3
Schnyder IN last eight
GOLD COAST: Swiss top seed Patty Schnyder cruised into the quarterfinals of the Australian women’s hardcourt championship on Tuesday.
The former world number eight, who won the Gold Coast tournament in 1999, eased her way through to the last eight with a 6-4 6-4 win over Italy’s Francesca Schiavone.
Result: (first round): Lina Krasnoroutskaya bt Fabiola Zuluaga (Colombia) 6-3 6-1; Nadia Petrova bt Barbara Rittner 6-3 1-6 6-3
Second round: Barbara Schett bt Els Callens 7-5 6-3; Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian bt Silvija Talaja 6-4 6-2; Patty Schnyder bt Francesca Schiavone 6-4 6-4; Maria Sanchez Lorenzo bt Emilie Loit 7-5 6-4
women’s classic
AUCKLAND, Dec 31: Results from the first round of the New Zealand WTA tennis tournament here Tuesday (x denotes seeding):
Singles: 1st round
Anna Pistolesi bt Tzipora Obziler 6-4, 6-3; Jill Craybas bt Katarina Srebotnik 7-6 (7-4), 6-4; Yoon Jeong Cho bt Patricia Wartusch 6-7 (8-6), 6-2, 6-0; Cara Black bt Janette Husarova 6-1, 6-2; Mary Pierce bt Angelika Roesch 6-4, 7-5; Clarisa Fernandez bt Renata Voracova 7-6 (7-1), 5-7, 6-4; Ashley Harkleroad bt Annie Kremer 6-3, 6-0; Paola Suarez bt M. Camerin 6-1, 6-0; Eleni Daniilidou bt Shinobu Asagoe 6-3, 6-2.—Reuters
