Hopman Cup 2006

[lau]

The teams are
1. Russia - Svetlana Kuznetsova, Teimuraz Gabashvili. (Gabashvili replaces Safin)
2. Argentina - Gisela Dulko, Gaston Gaudio
3. Australia - Samantha Stosur, Wayne Arthurs (Stosur replaces Alicia Molik)
4. USA - Lisa Raymond, Taylor Dent
Germany - Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Nicolas Kiefer
Sweden - Thomas Johansson, Sofia Arvidsson (Sweden replaces Belarus - Viktoria Azarenka, Max Mirnyi)
Serbia & Montenegro - Ana Ivanovic, Novak Djokovic
Netherlands or China - Michaella Krajicek, Peter Wessels/Shaui Peng, Peng Sun


The Groups:
Group A
No. 1 Russia: Svetlana Kuznetsova, Teimuraz Gabashvili
No. 4 USA: Lisa Raymond, Taylor Dent
Sweden: Sofia Arvidsson, Thomas Johansson
Serbia & Montenegro: Ana Ivanovic, Novak Djokovic

Group B
No. 2 Argentina: Gisela Dulko, Gaston Gaudio
No. 3 Australia: Alicia Molik, Wayne Arthurs
Germany: Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Nicolas Kiefer
Either China: Shuai Peng, Peng Sun or Netherlands: Michaella Krajicek, Peter Wessels

Schedule:
Session 1: 30 December 10.00 am: China v Netherlands
Session 2: 31 December 10.00 am: Australia v Germany
Session 3: 1 January 10.00 am: USA v Serbia & Montenegro
Session 4: 2 January 10.00 am: Argentina v China/Netherlands
Session 5: 2 January 5.30 pm: Sweden v Serbia & Montenegro
Session 6: 3 January 10.00 am: Russia v USA
Session 7: 3 January 5.30pm: Australia v China/Netherlands
Session 8: 4 January 10.00 am: Argentina v Germany
Session 9: 4 January 5.30 pm: Russia v Sweden
Session 10: 5 January 10.00 am: Australia v Argentina and Germany v China/Netherlands
Session 11: 5 January 5.30 pm: Russia v Serbia & Montenegro and USA v Sweden
Final: 6 January 5.30 pm: Winner Group A v Winner Group B

[Annie]

Thanks Lau. Aparently they couldn't find Marat a substitute and Teimuraz was the only one available because all the others are going to Doha

[marats]

Lau and Annie thanks for the info !
You're both great !

[SAFINNO1]

no without Marat this tournament is gonna suffer big time, although it will be interesting to see how Djokovic plays on rebound ace and see if Kuznetsova can regain some form

[mackiemad]

also without james blake as the usa guy it will suffer. he has been a big drawcard there for a few years. and the tourney is used to not too many big names - it is telecast on abc and only real tennis fans often go and watch it.
ALTHOUGH- taylor dent will probably be a good drawcard as his dad as an aussie so therefore we claim him as ours even though he as very expressly said that he isn't as aussie... we can't help ourselves - just like russell crowe!
plus generally we are very patriotic and the withdrawal of safin, although devestating to me, means that our team has a better chance.

[marats]

I wish Marat could play but all the luck to the other teams !

[alsl]

in one of the articles ( i think its been posted before) it said that svetlana knew teimuraz well and that she would be delighted to play with him..any comment she made on marat?

[marats]

Dear , can you tell me the name off someone who will not play doubles with Marat ?

[SAFINNO1]

Dutch secure spot in Hopman Cup

Sydney - The Netherlands clinched the final berth in the main draw of the Hopman Cup international mixed teams tennis tournament in Perth on Friday with a 2-1 win over China in the opening play-off tie.

They will now join second seeds Argentina, third seeds Australia and unseeded favourites Germany in Group B of the eight-nation, $750 000 tournament at Perth's Burswood Dome.

With the tie locked at 1-1 following the singles rubbers, the Dutch pair of Peter Wessels and Michaella Krajicek teamed up to take the deciding mixed doubles 6-4, 6-4 in 67 minutes.

The Netherlands had similar succes in the play-off tie last year, qualifying for the main draw with a win over Zimbabwe, while China were making their debut in the tournament.

China took the early lead in the tie when 19-year-old Peng Shuai won the opening rubber 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 against the even younger Krajicek in a match lasting just under two hours.

Krajicek, 16, paid the price for too many unforced errors, making 47 for the match compared to 21 by Peng.

Peng, who climbed to a world ranking of 31 last August after wins over some top-ranked players including Russian Elena Dementieva and former world number one Kim Clijsters, looked comfortable early on before dropping her opening serve in the second set then regaining her composure in the third.

But Wessels soon put the Dutch team back on course, taking just 51 minutes to crush China's top-ranked male player Sun Peng 6-2, 6-2.

Sun no match for his rival

Sun, ranked 344 in the world, was no match for his more experienced rival.

"I did quite well today. I put a lot of pressure on him, especially on his second serve, and it paid off because he also played a couple of double faults on important points," Wessels said.

The tournament is the first elite-level event to officially allow players to contest decisions with the electronic Hawkeye line-calling system.

Krajicek was the first player to make use of it when she had chair umpire Pascal Maria's line call overturned in the third game of her match with Peng.

The Netherlands will now face the Argentinian paring of Gisela Dulko and Gaston Gaudio on Monday.

In the opening round of the tournament-proper on Saturday, the Australian team of Wayne Arthurs and Samantha Stosur ? both doubles specialists ? is scheduled to meet the German pair of Nicolas Keifer and Anna-Lena Groenefeld.

The Germans, although unseeded for the tournament, have become the favourites to win the event with local bookmakers.

Group A, which consists of Russia, the United States, Sweden and Serbia and Montenegro, will kick-off with a tie between the USA and Serbia and Montenegro

[SAFINNO1]

Okay this may be me but i find this astonishing TEIMURAZ GEBASHVILLI HAS PULLED OUT DUE TO INJURY WHILE PLAYING IN A CHALLENGER EVENT IN DOHA

[SAFINNO1]

Russia's Hopman Cup place in doubt after another injury
Russia's place in the Hopman Cup field in Perth is in doubt after another injury to its male player.

Teimuraz Gabashvili, who replaced the injured Marat Safin, has torn ankle ligaments at a tournament in Qatar.

Hopman Cup organisers are desperately trying to find another player with Russia's first match scheduled for Tuesday.

[alsl]

safinno1 said:

Okay this may be me but i find this astonishing TEIMURAZ GEBASHVILLI HAS PULLED OUT DUE TO INJURY WHILE PLAYING IN A CHALLENGER EVENT IN DOHA

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMFG OMFG OMFG

you cant be serious..first marat,now teimuraz is injured...AHHHHHHHHHH

[alsl]

New Russian in Hyundai Hopman Cup
31/12/2005

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yuri Schukin will be the new partner of Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova after Marat Safin’s replacement Teimuraz Gabashvili withdrew due to injury on the eve of his departure to Australia.

After Safin withdrew due to knee tendonitis, Gabashvili was called in to partner Kuznetsova, but injured his ankle while playing in Doha and will be unable to play for the next two months.

Schukin, who resides in Berlin, was contacted by Tournament Director Paul McNamee and was pleased at the chance to represent his country. He was planning to head to Melbourne to attempt to qualify for the Australian Open. The stint in Perth will be ideal preparation for the 26-year-old Russian, who is currently ranked 235 in the world.

Russia commences their campaign on Tuesday, when they face the American pairing of Taylor Dent and Lisa Raymond.

taken from the official site (www.hopmancup.com.au)

[glow=red,2,300]Session 2 - Germany 2 d Australia 1[/glow]
Anna-Lena Groenefeld lost to Samantha Stosur 3-6, 5-7
Time: 90 minutes, Umpire: Pasqual Maria
Nicolas Kiefer d Wayne Arthurs 6-3, 6-4
Time: 83 minutes, Umpire: Carlos Ramos
Kiefer/Groenefeld d Arthurs/Stosur 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10/8)
Time: 77 minutes, Umpire: Alison Lang



---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[marats]

Thanks for the info - Alsl !

[dawaymarat]

Svetlana Kuznetsova has a new mixed-partner: Juri Schukin is the number 235 of the world. ;D