Hopman An Ace Serve

Newcastle Herald

Friday January 2, 2009

GR

JANUARY is serving up a week of

sizzling tennis action, with Lleyton

Hewitt returning to the Hopman

Cup to celebrate the tournaments

21st birthday.

This year Australia has its best

chance in years to reclaim Hopman

glory, with former world number

one Hewitt partnering rising star

Casey Dellacqua (pictured).

US Open winner and world

number two Serena Williams was

to have played with James Blake

but a hamstring injury has forced

her to withdraw from the Perth

tournament.

Two-time champion Blake will

now be partnered by Meghann

Shaughnessy who last year played

the first Hopman match for the

US, where she defeated Sania

Mirza of India.

In a boost to the tournament,

mercurial Russian star Marat Safin

has shelved retirement plans and

recommitted to the Hopman.

The cup will screen live daily

from tomorrow, culminating in

the final at 8.30pm on Friday,

January 9.

TENNIS: THE HOPMAN CUP

SCREENS LIVE FROM SATURDAY

TO THURSDAY FROM 12.30PM

ON ABC1.

© 2009 Newcastle Herald

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