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Taiwan Hopman Cup hopes end

Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun serves against France's Arnaud Clement during their men's singles match at the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, yesterday. Clement won 7-6 (2), 6-4. PHOTO: AP

Tatiana Golovin crushed Hsieh Su-wei and Arnaud Clement beat Lu Yen-hsun in the singles before the Taiwanese duo lost their doubles match as France downed Taiwan in the Hopman Cup yesterday.

Meanwhile, Serbia shrugged off Jelena Jankovic's ongoing injury to clinch a final showdown with US.

Serbia beat Argentina 2-1 to finish top of Group A while the US downed Australia to win Group B.

Hsieh proved no match for Golovin winning only two games in a straight sets defeat before Clement eased past Lu 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Hsieh and Lu did better in the doubles pushing the French duo all the way before succumbing in a third set tie-break.

Jankovic could not complete her singles match with Gisela Dulko as Argentina went 1-0.

Novak Djokovic levelled the contest with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Juan Ignacio Chela before Jankovic returned to help Serbia to claim victory in the mixed doubles 6-1, 3-6, 7-6.

Serena Williams scored a 6-2, 7-6 win over Alicia Molik before Mardy Fish beat Peter Luczak 7-6, 7-6.

The US pair then outclassed Molik and Luczak 6-2, 6-3 in the mixed doubles.

In the other Group B match, Czech Republic defeated India 2-1.

AP, ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

■ MEN'S HARDCOURT

Lleyton Hewitt won 16 of the first 19 points for a 4-0 lead, setting up a 6-2, 6-2 win over Jose Acasuso yesterday that put him into the quarter-finals of the Australian men's hardcourt.

Hewitt's only blemish was double-faulting on his first match point.

AP, GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA

■ WOMEN'S HARDCOURT

Amelie Mauresmo, top-seeded Nicole Vaidisova and defending champion Dinara Safina were among the big-name losers in yesterday's quarter-finals of the Australian women's hardcourts.

Mauresmo was beaten by fourth-seeded Patty Schnyder, with the Swiss winning 6-4, 6-4 after leading 5-0 in the first set.

Schnyder will meet China's Li Na in today's semi-finals.

Li made it two-for-two in career matches against Vaidisova, beating the Czech player 6-3, 6-3 .

Shahar Peer of Israel beat Safina of Russia 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8) in a 2 1-2-hour match. Peer lost to Safina in the semi-final last year at Royal Pines, when she led 6-4, 5-1 before fading badly following a rain delay.

AP, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

■ ASB CLASSIC

Lindsay Davenport advanced to the semi-finals of the ASB Classic women's tennis tournament yesterday with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Italy's Sara Errani.

Davenport is 16-1 in singles since he return to the tour after the birth of her first child and is closing in on her third title from her first four tournaments in her comeback.

AP, DOHA, QATAR

■ QATAR OPEN

Britain's Andy Murray rallied to beat Rainer Schuettler 1-6, 6-0, 6-1 on Wednesday and advance to the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open.

AP, CHENNAI, INDIA

■ CHENNAI OPEN

Defending champion Xavier Malisse and fourth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny posted contrasting wins on Wednesday to set up a quarter-final encounter in the Chennai Open.

Belgian Malisse clinched a 7-6 (3), 6-2 in victory in the second round against sixth-seeded Jurgen Melzer of Austria, while Russian player Youzhny survived a scare from Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin by prevailing 7-5, 1-6, 6-2.

AFP, HONG KONG

■ JB GROUP CLASSIC

Wimbledon champion Venus Williams crushed her Chinese opponent Peng Shuai in straight sets in Hong Kong yesterday, showing she is in prime form ahead of the Australian Open.

The world No. 8 triumphed 6-1, 6-2.
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