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1/1/2001
Belgium Defeats Marat Safin and Russia at Hopman Cup
Olivier Rochus and Belgium made short work of a tall order.
Rochus, who stands just 5-6, helped Belgium continue the giant-killing reputation of tournament qualifiers Monday with a three-set victory over world No. 2 Marat Safin of Russia at the $1 million Hopman Cup mixed team event.
The diminutive Rochus defeated the powerful 6-5 Safin, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, after being down 1-3 in the final set. He won the last 10 points of the match to claim the biggest win of his career and a Group B victory for Belgium over the second seeds.
"I just tried to do my best and enjoy the match. When I won the first set I said to myself, 'Come on, fight and try to take him,'" said Rochus, who won his first career title last year in Sicily. "When he got the second set comfortably, and then led 3-1 in the third, I did not expect to come back in the match. It is unbelievable for me, even if he was not playing his best."
The Belgians gained entry into the main draw by defeating Thailand in a playoff. Thailand reached the final last year as a qualifier and Slovakia won the championship in 1998 after defeating Romania in the play-in tie.
Kim Clijsters gave Belgium its first point with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Elena Likhovtseva. She broke the Russian's serve six times in seven opportunities while saving 9-of-11 chances on her own serve.
The 17-year-old Clijsters finished the season ranked No. 18 after claiming tournaments at Hobart, Australia and Leipzig, Germany. She also reached the final at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix at Filderstadt, where she lost to top-ranked Martina Hingis of Switzerland.
Safin -- the reigning U.S. Open champion -- and Likhovtseva salvaged one point from the tie with a 6-3, 7-6 win in the mixed doubles. The Russians will try to get on the board Wednesday against third-seeded United States.
Safin and Russia are competing in this event for the first time, although the Soviet Union and Commonwealth of Independent States participated in Hopman Cups II, III and IV.
The Americans swept Slovakia Monday as Monica Seles defeated Karina Habsudova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, and Jan-Michael Gambill beat Dominik Hrbaty, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Seles and Gambill rallied for a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory in the mixed doubles.
Seles, who won this event in 1991 while playing for Yugaslavia, won three titles last year and was runner-up at the season-ending Chase Championships in November.
The Hopman Cup is one of several warmup events for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.
-Sports Ticker
--From Yahoo Sports
Belgium Advances to Main Draw of Season-Opening Hopman Cup
Olivier Rochus and Belgium made short work of a tall order.
Rochus, who stands just 5-6, helped Belgium continue the giant-killing reputation of tournament qualifiers Monday with a three-set victory over world No. 2 Marat Safin of Russia at the $1 million Hopman Cup mixed team event.
The diminutive Rochus defeated the powerful 6-5 Safin, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, after being down 1-3 in the final set. He won the last 10 points of the match to claim the biggest win of his career and a Group B victory for Belgium over the second seeds.
"I just tried to do my best and enjoy the match. When I won the first set I said to myself, 'Come on, fight and try to take him,'" said Rochus, who won his first career title last year in Sicily. "When he got the second set comfortably, and then led 3-1 in the third, I did not expect to come back in the match. It is unbelievable for me, even if he was not playing his best."
The Belgians gained entry into the main draw by defeating Thailand in a playoff. Thailand reached the final last year as a qualifier and Slovakia won the championship in 1998 after defeating Romania in the play-in tie.
Kim Clijsters gave Belgium its first point with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Elena Likhovtseva. She broke the Russian's serve six times in seven opportunities while saving 9-of-11 chances on her own serve.
The 17-year-old Clijsters finished the season ranked No. 18 after claiming tournaments at Hobart, Australia and Leipzig, Germany. She also reached the final at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix at Filderstadt, where she lost to top-ranked Martina Hingis of Switzerland.
Safin -- the reigning U.S. Open champion -- and Likhovtseva salvaged one point from the tie with a 6-3, 7-6 win in the mixed doubles. The Russians will try to get on the board Wednesday against third-seeded United States.
Safin and Russia are competing in this event for the first time, although the Soviet Union and Commonwealth of Independent States participated in Hopman Cups II, III and IV.
The Americans swept Slovakia Monday as Monica Seles defeated Karina Habsudova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, and Jan-Michael Gambill beat Dominik Hrbaty, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Seles and Gambill rallied for a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory in the mixed doubles.
Seles, who won this event in 1991 while playing for Yugaslavia, won three titles last year and was runner-up at the season-ending Chase Championships in November.
The Hopman Cup is one of several warmup events for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.
-Sports Ticker
--From Yahoo Sports
Commitments and Honors
Kim has signed up to play Sydney. It starts January 8. Other players in to tournament are Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, and Serena Williams. She will also play the Australian Open which begins January 15. It is highly likely that she will be the 16th seed. In other news, Kim was named "Sportwoman of the year" in Belgium for the second year in a row. Congratulations! Kim was also the youngest WTA player to win a tournament in the year 2000. At 16 years, 7 months, and 8 days, Kim won Hobart! Congragulations on that too!
~Clijsters City
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Rochus, who stands just 5-6, helped Belgium continue the giant-killing reputation of tournament qualifiers Monday with a three-set victory over world No. 2 Marat Safin of Russia at the $1 million Hopman Cup mixed team event. The diminutive Rochus defeated the powerful 6-5 Safin, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, after being down 1-3 in the final set. He won the last 10 points of the match to claim the biggest win of his career and a Group B victory for Belgium over the second seeds. "I just tried to do my best and enjoy the match. When I won the first set I said to myself, 'Come on, fight and try to take him,'" said Rochus, who won his first career title last year in Sicily. "When he got the second set comfortably, and then led 3-1 in the third, I did not expect to come back in the match. It is unbelievable for me, even if he was not playing his best." The Belgians gained entry into the main draw by defeating Thailand in a playoff. Thailand reached the final last year as a qualifier and Slovakia won the championship in 1998 after defeating Romania in the play-in tie. Kim Clijsters gave Belgium its first point with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Elena Likhovtseva. She broke the Russian's serve six times in seven opportunities while saving 9-of-11 chances on her own serve. The 17-year-old Clijsters finished the season ranked No. 18 after claiming tournaments at Hobart, Australia and Leipzig, Germany. She also reached the final at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix at Filderstadt, where she lost to top-ranked Martina Hingis of Switzerland. Safin -- the reigning U.S. Open champion -- and Likhovtseva salvaged one point from the tie with a 6-3, 7-6 win in the mixed doubles. The Russians will try to get on the board Wednesday against third-seeded United States. Safin and Russia are competing in this event for the first time, although the Soviet Union and Commonwealth of Independent States participated in Hopman Cups II, III and IV. The Americans swept Slovakia Monday as Monica Seles defeated Karina Habsudova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, and Jan-Michael Gambill beat Dominik Hrbaty, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Seles and Gambill rallied for a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory in the mixed doubles. Seles, who won this event in 1991 while playing for Yugaslavia, won three titles last year and was runner-up at the season-ending Chase Championships in November. The Hopman Cup is one of several warmup events for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.
Belgium Advances to Main Draw of Season-Opening Hopman CupRochus, who stands just 5-6, helped Belgium continue the giant-killing reputation of tournament qualifiers Monday with a three-set victory over world No. 2 Marat Safin of Russia at the $1 million Hopman Cup mixed team event. The diminutive Rochus defeated the powerful 6-5 Safin, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, after being down 1-3 in the final set. He won the last 10 points of the match to claim the biggest win of his career and a Group B victory for Belgium over the second seeds. "I just tried to do my best and enjoy the match. When I won the first set I said to myself, 'Come on, fight and try to take him,'" said Rochus, who won his first career title last year in Sicily. "When he got the second set comfortably, and then led 3-1 in the third, I did not expect to come back in the match. It is unbelievable for me, even if he was not playing his best." The Belgians gained entry into the main draw by defeating Thailand in a playoff. Thailand reached the final last year as a qualifier and Slovakia won the championship in 1998 after defeating Romania in the play-in tie. Kim Clijsters gave Belgium its first point with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Elena Likhovtseva. She broke the Russian's serve six times in seven opportunities while saving 9-of-11 chances on her own serve. The 17-year-old Clijsters finished the season ranked No. 18 after claiming tournaments at Hobart, Australia and Leipzig, Germany. She also reached the final at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix at Filderstadt, where she lost to top-ranked Martina Hingis of Switzerland. Safin -- the reigning U.S. Open champion -- and Likhovtseva salvaged one point from the tie with a 6-3, 7-6 win in the mixed doubles. The Russians will try to get on the board Wednesday against third-seeded United States. Safin and Russia are competing in this event for the first time, although the Soviet Union and Commonwealth of Independent States participated in Hopman Cups II, III and IV. The Americans swept Slovakia Monday as Monica Seles defeated Karina Habsudova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, and Jan-Michael Gambill beat Dominik Hrbaty, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Seles and Gambill rallied for a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory in the mixed doubles. Seles, who won this event in 1991 while playing for Yugaslavia, won three titles last year and was runner-up at the season-ending Chase Championships in November. The Hopman Cup is one of several warmup events for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.
Commitments and Honors~Clijsters City |