Daniela Hantuchova and Dominik Hrbaty each won their opening matches yesterday to give Slovakia the Hopman Cup team tennis championship over Argentina.
The Slovakians also won the mixed doubles in a walkover when Coria withdrew with a back strain.
PHOTO: AP
Hrbaty did not drop a set in any of his four singles matches at this year's event.
Hantuchova conceded the first set in just 17 minutes against Dulko, who lost all four of her singles matches.
Hantuchova, who lost last year's final against the US playing with Karol Kucera, was pleased to give the Slovakians the early lead.
"I'm just so happy that I got through this," she said. "I didn't really feel like I was playing my best and I just tried to hang in there and fight for every point."
It was the second Hopman Cup win by Slovakia -- Kucera and Karina Hadsudova won in 1998.
Hrbaty said he had received text messages of support all week from Slovakian Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda. And Hantuchova said it was a special day for her small European homeland.
"It's been like a dream week for me," she said. "I had so much fun with Dominik and I can't tell you how happy I am to be here winning the Hopman Cup. It's something special and it's amazing for our country because there's just five million people."
Hrbaty said he lifts his game whenever he represents his country.
"I'm the kind of guy who likes to go in the team competitions," he said. "When I play Davis Cup I can get out 120 percent out of myself, I don't know how. If I could play like I do in Davis Cup every time I came to a tournament, I would be for sure top 10 all year round."
Men's Hardcourt
Second-seeded Joachim Johansson of Sweden and American Taylor Dent will contest the final of the Australian men's hardcourt tennis championships following straight-set semifinal wins yesterday.
Johansson beat Olivier Rochus of Belgium 6-1, 7-6 (5) at Memorial Drive while the fifth-seeded Dent, son of former Australian Davis Cup player Phil Dent, defeated Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela 6-1, 6-1.
Johansson won six straight games to take the first set in 24 minutes. Rochus had a service break in the fifth game of the second set, but Johansson broke back in the next game to set up a tiebreaker.
With Rochus leading 5-4 in the tiebreaker and serving, a Johansson groundstroke, which looked to have landed past the baseline, was called in, allowing the Swedish player to level at 5-5.
It appeared to bother Rochus, who lost the remaining two points.
"It was so close ... one mistake like this and the match is over, it's tough," Rochus said. "For me, it was clearly out."
Women's Hardcourt
Second-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland lost the first set in 17 minutes to local favorite Samantha Stosur on yesterday before rebounding for a 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 win in the women's hardcourt final.
It was Schnyder's ninth career WTA victory.
Schnyder, serving for the match at 6-5, trailed 0-40 but held her serve after three deuces. She broke Stosur in the sixth game of the second set to take a 4-2 lead before leveling the match at a set each following an overrule by a linesman.
The baseline linesman overruled his initial call on a Stosur winner that would have given the Australian a vital break. But chair umpire Scott Ray ordered the point to be replayed and Schnyder went on to hold her service.
Qatar Open
Roger Federer eased past Russia's Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-4 on Friday to reach the final of the Qatar Open, where the world's top-ranked player will meet sixth seed Ivan Ljubicic.
Playing with the kind of sublime form that has brought him three easy victories in previous rounds here in Doha, Swiss top seed Federer defeated Davydenko in 64 minutes.
Federer's semifinal win was his 20th in a row since his second-round ouster from the Athens Olympics last August.
Federer, who hasn't lost a service game during the tournament, said Davydenko made him work for his victory, but he was ready for another tournament win.
ASB Classic
Slovakia's Katarina Srebotnik beat doubles partner Shinbou Asagoe of Japan 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 yesterday to win the ASB Women's Classic final.
The unseeded Srebotnik fought back from a set and 4-0 down to beat the fourth-seeded Asagoe in two hours and 20 minutes for her third WTA title.
The singles finalists later teamed to beat Leanne Baker of New Zealand and Francesca Lubiani of Italy 6-3, 6-3 in the doubles final. The doubles crown was Srebotnik's eighth and Asagoe's sixth.
HK Challenge
Elena Dementieva cruised past defending [champion Venus Williams 6-3 6-2 yesterday to win the Hong Kong's Champions Challenge tennis tournament.
Dementieva of Russia, who is ranked sixth in the world, broke Williams three times in the first set, while losing her service once.
The 24-year-old American put up a stiff fight when 5-2 down in the second set, saving three championship points before losing the match at the Victoria Park tennis court.
It was Dementieva's first win since her victory at Hasselt in Belgium last year, and it boosted her confidence.
"It's really a great start to the year no matter whether it's an exhibition or not. I was trying to play my best and I really did it," said Dementieva.
Before the match, organizers auctioned off rackets belonging to the players, raising HK$1.6 million (US$205,128) for victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster. Sharapova's racket fetched HK$520,000 (US$66,660), while that of Williams got HK$400,000 (US$51,280).
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