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Post by sirius on Oct 14, 2004 10:20:07 GMT 3
Russian Revolution for Perth
1 October 2004
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Australian Open finalist Marat Safin and French Open champion Anastasia Myskina are the first team confirmed for Hyundai Hopman Cup XVII. The top ranked Russian players are coming back to compete together in even hotter form than last year.
Marat Safin, left Perth last year with a 2-1 win loss record and went on to become the star of the Australian Open where, from an unseeded ranking of 66 he single handedly knocked out the American contingent of Todd Martin, James Blake, Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi (in some say the match of the year) en-route to a finals berth against Roger Federer. Currently sitting at 8 on the ATP Race, after winning the Beijing Open last week, he is in his best form for a long time.
Anastasia Myskina peaked last week at number two in the WTA rankings after a run at the number one spot at the recent US Open. Currently ranked number 4, she is having a sensational year highlighted by her first Grand Slam singles title at the French Open earlier this year, where she defeated Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati and Elena Dementieava.
It is the second appearance for this Russian team at the Hyundai Hopman Cup. Last year they defeated the Czech Republic before losing to higher seeded teams from France, (with current world number 1, Amelie Mauresmo and Fabrice Santoro) and eventual champions from the USA - Lindsay Davenport and James Blake. However this team is now much stronger and it would be no surprise to see them with the top seeding and a very good shot at ending the US dominance of the last two years!
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Post by Vassily on Oct 14, 2004 13:49:39 GMT 3
Thanks Jiat.
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Post by sirius on Oct 14, 2004 16:17:06 GMT 3
noprob vass! last i heard on mtf, the team lists are out for next year. no news on the official site though. hmm.
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Post by Damita on Oct 14, 2004 21:53:26 GMT 3
the only other team i heard about is the Australian team: Alicia Molik, and Mark Philippoussis (instead of Hewitt)
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Post by sirius on Oct 15, 2004 11:23:19 GMT 3
here we go...
Group A:
Argentina
Guillermo Coria
Giselle Dulko
Germany
Anna-Lena Groenefeld
Tommy Haas
Italy
Francesca Schiavone
Davide Sanguinetti
Russia
Anastasia Myskina
Marat Safin
Group B
USA
Lindsay Davenport
James Blake
Slowak Republic
Daniela Hantuchova
Dominik Hrbaty
Australia
Alicia Molik
Mark Philippoussis
Play off match
Holland vs. France
Krajicek vs. Golovin
Wessels vs. Gasquet
Krajicek/Wessels vs. Golovin/Gasquet
one day...we'll have safin and safina there...one day...just waiiitttt... i hope.
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Post by Carolineonline on Oct 15, 2004 22:15:46 GMT 3
Play off matchHolland vs. FranceKrajicek vs. Golovin Wessels vs. Gasquet Krajicek/Wessels vs. Golovin/Gasquet I dont get it... Peter Wessels is number 256 in the world.. Michaella Krajicek is a 15 year old.. no 590... When they would get into the Hopman Cup... they'll have to play against.. lets take.. a Marat Safin.. world number 8... and Anastasia Myskina.. number 4.....  erhm.. no offence.. but what are the dutchies planning to do against these superheroes?!  one day...we'll have safin and safina there...one day...just waiiitttt... i hope that would be great... brohw and sizz against the world..  |
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Post by Vassily on Oct 15, 2004 22:57:31 GMT 3
Not a bad team. But i don't care about team results much. I want both Marat and Nastya to win their individual matches, i.e. start the season well. If they do that they'll win automatically.
I smile with the thought of Marat and Nastya playing together again. It was fun watching them this year, and they themselves seemed to have fun.
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Post by sirius on Oct 16, 2004 15:14:05 GMT 3
nastya and marat seemed to really enjoy the tourney this year. hope it's just as great next year.... and they'd have fun poking fun at each other again lol...
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Post by sirius on Oct 16, 2004 17:49:19 GMT 3
Worldwide TV For Hopman
14 October 2004
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The International Tennis Federation (ITF) recently announced a five-year deal for the Hyundai Hopman Cup, along with the Davis Cup and Fed Cup, to be televised on the Tennis Channel in the United States.
This live coverage into the USA joins the extensive domestic coverage of ABC Television and Fox Sports throughout Australia.
New agreements have also been signed with ESPN-Star Sports in Asia for coverage throughout Asia with the signal reaching over 50 countries. This year, 24 hours of live coverage of Hopman Cup plus replays will be telecast into Asia. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Coverage has also been secured throughout the Middle East on Dubai Sports, throughout the United Kingdom on BSkyB and with the vast interest in tennis in Russia, a three year agreement has been reached with NTV Plus.
Tournament Chief Executive Officer, Rick Williams, confirmed ABC has just entered a new five year agreement to continue as Host Broadcaster and the Official Free to Air station and will telecast all day sessions including the Final live throughout Australia. Fox Sports complements this by telecasting all night sessions live and replays of the day sessions, providing the perfect mix.
Television coverage of the tournament starts on ABC at 1pm ESST on Sunday 2 January 2005.
“Our relationship with the ABC ensures that all tennis fans in Australia can watch all the main draw day sessions, including the final on Saturday 8 January. Fox Sports will show all night sessions and delayed replays of the day sessions. This total coverage of the tournament is a major bonus to our fans and sponsors, making us one of the most televised events in Australia” said Tournament Chief Executive Officer, Rick Williams.
The Hyundai Hopman Cup, is the Official Mixed Teams Competition of the ITF. All international television rights are handled by the ITF Commercial Department.
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Post by sirius on Oct 16, 2004 17:51:23 GMT 3
New Look Hopman Line Up
14 October 2004
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The Hyundai Hopman Cup today announced a powerhouse field featuring a number of tennis` greatest stars including five players to have reached #1 or #2 in the world rankings - Tommy Haas, Guillermo Coria, Lindsay Davenport, Marat Safin and current French Open champion Anastasia Myskina. They join Dominik Hrbaty, James Blake, Mark Philippoussis, Alicia Molik and Tatiana Golovin to produce a number of tantalising matches.
The big serving home team, together for the first time, are Olympic Bronze Medallist Alicia Molik and Mark Philippoussis, who will join the “Battle of the Dome” and undoubtedly have the firepower to threaten the seeded nations.
Russia, with two current top ten players are top seeds, placed above two time defending champions USA who are represented by Lindsay Davenport, on the cusp of regaining her world #1 ranking, and James Blake. Last years runner up the Slovak Republic is the number three seed. The fourth seeded team is Argentina with Giselle Dulko and French Open runner up and world number 4 Guillermo Coria. Unseeded, and looking to provide both upsets and great matches are Australia, Germany and Italy all of whom have great shot making players.
The teams in seeded order (with current world rankings in brackets) are:
1. Russia – Anastasia Myskina (4) & Marat Safin (9)
2. USA – Lindsay Davenport (2) & James Blake (87)
3. Slovak Republic – Daniela Hantuchova (35) & Dominik Hrbaty (17)
4. Argentina – Giselle Dulko (33) & Guillermo Coria (4)
Germany – Anna-Lena Groenefeld (74) & Tommy Haas (30)
Australia – Alicia Molik (18) & Mark Philippoussis (103)
Italy – Francesca Schiavone (21) & Davide Sanguinetti (97)
Playoff for 8th Place:
France – Tatiana Golovin (30) & Richard Gasquet (151)
Netherlands – Michaela Krajicek (No 1 in Juniors) & Peter Wessels (122)
Tournament Director, Paul McNamee said, “This is a field for tennis connoisseurs. There’s the shot making of Coria, who is the current “king of clay”, Haas who is probably second only to Federer in elegance as a player, Safin with his exquisite timing and natural power and Hrbaty who won two titles on rebound ace earlier this year. Add Blake and Philippoussis, Molik and Davenport, Myskina and Hantuchova and you have some amazing match ups to look forward to.
Safin, who last year on the comeback trail from injury, used the Hopman Cup to launch his attack on the Australian Open is this year the hunted one. Tommy Haas, Mark Philippoussis, Dominik Hrbaty, James Blake and Guillermo Coria all belong at the top and are hoping to emulate his amazing start to the year. The “Battle of the Dome” with these guys will be a “ball-striking bonanza”.
Davenport has hinted at retirement but then rebuffed herself by being the hottest player on tour, with 3 titles in a row going into the US Open. Injury stopped her there but she has since added another title and looks set to end the year with the number 1 ranking. USA has won the last two Hopman’s and James Blake is keen to be the first player to make it three in a row. Myskina won her first Grand Slam title this year and also flirted with number one. She wants to keep her place as the top female Russian player.
These two teams are seeded to meet in the final but there is a lot of great tennis to be played first.
Hopman Cup XVII will start at a special time of 3pm on 1 January 2005 with an outstanding first session where two of the rising young stars of Female tennis - 16 year old Tatiana Golovin, who stormed to the last 16 at the US Open and the world’s #1 junior Michaela Krajicek will oppose each other for a place in the main draw. Golovin will headline a young French team partnering Richard Gasquet with whom she won the French Open Mixed Doubles title earlier this year. They will oppose the younger sister of Richard Krajicek – Michaela and Peter Wessels of the Netherlands for a place in the main draw. Children 15 years and younger, accompanied by an adult, are admitted free for Session 1.
Hyundai Hopman Cup XVII, to be held from 1-8 January 2005, is the Official Mixed Teams Competition of the ITF. Prizemoney for the eight-team event is $1.01 million dollars with the winners sharing $250,000. A round-robin event, teams consisting of one man and one woman represent their country, with each tie being a men’s singles, women’s singles and a mixed doubles match.
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Post by sirius on Oct 16, 2004 17:52:20 GMT 3
hmmm...talk about efficient! it's october and they're announcing the OOP for a january tournament! ;D ;D ;D
Russia to Open Hyundai Hopman Cup XVII
15 October 2004
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Russia the number 1 seeds, represented by Marat Safin and Anastasia Myskina, open the main draw action in the Hyundai Hopman Cup on Sunday 2 January against Italy. They then face Argentina in what should be a highlight men’s match between Safin and world number 4 Guillermo Coria. The third great men’s match in that group sees Safin take on Germany’s Tommy Haas in the double header on Thursday night.
Australia, represented by Mark Philippoussis and Alicia Molik, will play their opening match of the Hyundai Hopman Cup at the Burswood Dome on the New Year’s holiday on Monday 3 January. Their opponents will be last year’s finalist and number 3 seeds the Slovak Republic.
Australia’s next opponent will be the winner of the Play-off between France and Netherlands, followed by a Friday morning match up against the reigning champions USA.
USA with world number one Lindsay Davenport and James Blake start their campaign against the winner of the play-off, which will see either Tatiana Golovin or Michaella Krajicek test themselves against the world’s best.
The Hyundai Hopman Cup is the Official Mixed Teams Competition of the ITF and is the third arm of the ITF International Team Events consisting of the Davis Cup for men and the Fed Cup for women.
Hopman Cup XVII will start at a special time of 3pm on 1 January 2005 where two of the rising young stars of Female tennis - 16 year old Tatiana Golovin, who stormed to the last 16 at the US Open and the world’s #1 junior Michaella Krajicek will oppose each other for a place in the main draw. Golovin will headline a young French team partnering Richard Gasquet and Michaella’s partner Peter Wessels of the Netherlands. Children 15 years of age and younger, accompanied by an adult, are admitted free for Session 1.
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Post by Elisabeth on Oct 16, 2004 19:59:53 GMT 3
Well...Thank you everybody for all this informations! I didn't know that Marat will play Hopman Cup!It's nice to see him with Anastasia!They are funny when they are together! ;D Hope that one day , Marat will play with Dinara .... ;D |
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Post by christina on Oct 16, 2004 22:06:05 GMT 3
Coverage has also been secured throughout the Middle East on Dubai Sports, throughout the United Kingdom on BSkyB and with the vast interest in tennis in Russia, a three year agreement has been reached with NTV Plus. [/b] [/quote] grrrrr  I ACTUALLY DO HATE BSKYB, going around buying up all the TV rights for all the sports events on the planet, first they have a large proportion of the football, now all of the rugby apart from 6 nations, and NOW the WORST thing, they have hopman cup, if it wasnt enuf for them 2 hav the USO & all the TMS, no they have to have this as well,.....so i wont b watching it cos altho my mums bf has sky he doesnt get sky sport extra which is where they shove tennis cos its not important sorry 4 the rant can't wait for hopman cup! ;D yes they are being way over efficient ;D  |
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Post by sirius on Oct 17, 2004 5:18:00 GMT 3
grrrrr I ACTUALLY DO HATE BSKYB, going around buying up all the TV rights for all the sports events on the planet, first they have a large proportion of the football, now all of the rugby apart from 6 nations, and NOW the WORST thing, they have hopman cup, if it wasnt enuf for them 2 hav the USO & all the TMS, no they have to have this as well,.....so i wont b watching it cos altho my mums bf has sky he doesnt get sky sport extra which is where they shove tennis cos its not important sorry 4 the rant can't wait for hopman cup! ;D yes they are being way over efficient ;D lol chris. for a moment there, i was wondering why u were complaining abt having the slams and TMS and stuff...lol.....then of course, i realised.. ;D |
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Post by Vassily on Oct 17, 2004 6:24:08 GMT 3
Yay! For ones I'm getting tennis through Dubai Sports!
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erhm.. no offence.. but what are the dutchies planning to do against these superheroes?! 
