11 - 17 January 2001
Issue No.516
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 11 - 17 January 2001 Issue No.516 |
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Clockwork precision
Roger Federer and Martina Hingis claimed the Hopman Cup in Perth for Switzerland. Hingis defeated American Monica Seles, 7-5, 6-4, in 72 minutes and Federer, the former top-ranked junior, easily outlasted Jan-Michael Gambill, 6-4, 6-3, in a little over an hour to finalise the triumph.
The Swiss winners will share the $240,000 first prize, along with a $25,000 diamond-encrusted tennis ball each.
Hingis, 20, the world's number one, remained unbeaten in 14 career matches at the Hopman Cup and improved to 23-1 in singles play, dating to last season. She improved to 13-2 lifetime against Seles. With Saturday's victory, only the French Open and Federation Cup remain missing from Hingis's trophy chest. She already has won all the Tier I titles, the season-ending championships and three of the four Grand Slams.
Federer, 19, came close to winning his first tournament in 2000, stretching Marc Rosset and Thomas Enqvist to the limit in the finals at Marseille and Basel, respectively.
Seles and Gambill, who claimed the mixed doubles point, were trying to give the United States its second Hopman Cup championship. The Americans won the title in 1997 and Switzerland took the title in 1992.
The Hopman Cup is one of several warm-up events for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year. (photo:AFP)
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