Spain Surprises Serbia; Wins Hopman Cup

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Spain Surprises Serbia; Wins Hopman Cup

By Erik Gudris

(January 5th, 2013) -- Though they came in as underdogs, team Spain led by Anabel Media Garrigues and Fernando Verdasco came out as champions in the finals of the Hopman Cup in Perth.

As expected, the opening men's singles match between Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Spain's Fernando Verdasco went the way of the Serbian despite a second set rally from Verdasco. Djokovic went on to win 6-3, 7-5.

Djokovic's win set up his teammate Ana Ivanovic as she tried to close out the tie against Spain's Medina Garrigues in their singles match. But things got difficult early for Ivanovic as she dropped the first set 6-4. Ivanovic jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second set only to see Media Garrigues claw her way back to force a tiebreak. Ivanovic regained her composure and closed out the breaker seven points to three.

But it was Medina Garrigues who showed her resolved in the final set as she jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never looked back. Medina Garrigues closed out a 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2 win and soon fell to the court in jubilant disbelief at her victory.

That left the mixed doubles match to decide the tie and the championship. A clearly rattled Ivanovic needed ongoing encouragement from Djokovic as they faced off against Verdasco and Medina Garrigues. The Spanish team claimed the first set but Serbia put up a tough fight in the second.

The crucial moment came late in the set when Ivanovic was broken to give Spain a 6-5 lead. Medina Garrigues stepped up to the line to serve out the match and though she faltered on her first match point with a double fault, she came through on the second to seal a 6-4, 7-5 win for her team. That gave Spain a 2-1 victory and with it the title.

The win for Medina Garrigues was especially sweet as she had lost in the Hopman Cup finals back in 2007. Lucy Hopman, wife of the late Harry Hopman for the who the event is named for, presented Verdasco and Medina Garrigues with the trophy and the coveted diamond encrusted balls.

(Photo Credit: AP/Kirkman)