Hopman Cup: Australia beat Spain to set deciding Germany clash
The Wednesday's program at Hopman Cup saw two interesting ties and everything is set for the deciding clash between Germany and Australia after their wins over France and Spain. In the night match, Australia took down Spain in the mixed doubles encounter and they will fight against Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber for the place in the final, most probably against Switzerland. Ashleigh Barty made the home crowd proud after a 6-3, 6-4 win over the struggling Spaniard Garbine Muguruza in an hour and 14 minutes to deliver the opening point for Australia.
These two have played twice before back in 2017, sharing wins in Birmingham and Toronto and this time it was all about Barty who faced just one break point and scored one break in each set to seal the deal in straight sets. Ashleigh had to dig deep in the opening game of the match, repelling a break point before they both hit the zone in the service games, staying close to each other in the opening seven games before Barty secured a break in game eight when Muguruza sprayed a backhand error. Serving for the set, the Aussie hit an ace for a 6-3 after 35 minutes, building the momentum and continuing in the same style in set number two.
The Spaniard never found the rhythm on the return and she gave her save away in the seventh game when her forehand landed long. A service winner pushed Barty 5-3 up and she crossed the finish line with another good hold in game 10, moving Australia in front before the men's singles clash. There, the veteran David Ferrer prevailed against Matthew Ebden 7-6, 7-5 in an hour and 47 minutes for his maiden Hopman Cup win. Ferrer defended the second serve in a more efficient way and despite losing serve four times he did enough to wrap up the win in straight sets, creating 11 break points and converting five to level the overall score and set the deciding mixed doubles match.
They traded three breaks in the middle of the opening set and David grabbed two of those to move 5-3 up, serving for the set in game 10. Ebden broke back in the very last moment after a forehand error from Ferrer and they traded breaks in games 11 and 12 as well to set up a tie break that the Spaniard won 7-1 after a forehand mistake from the Aussie. Matthew broke in the fifth game of the second set with a stunning forehand cross court winner to open a 4-2 gap before David broke back at 3-4 when the Aussie netted a backhand. Serving to stay in the match at 4-5, Ebden fends off two match points and he even had a break point in the following game that could have pushed him ahead.
David saved it and he fired a forehand down the line winner in the next game to create match points, converting the first after another error from the Aussie to celebrate the win. The mixed doubles match proved to be another very tight encounter and Barty and Ebden prevailed 3-4, 4-3, 4-3 to complete the overall triumph and set the Friday's clash against Germany that will determine the finalist. They traded breaks earlier in the opening set and the Spaniards won the breaker 5-3 to move a set away from the triumph. Barty and Ebden claimed the second set tie break 5-0 and it was a roller coaster ride in the deciding set, with four breaks in six games! The winner had to be decided at 3-3 in the tie break and the Aussies stole the last two points to make the crowd erupting in joy.
Australia vs Spain 2-1
Ashleigh Barty (AUS) vs Garbine Muguruza (ESP) 6-3 6-4 David Ferrer (ESP) vs Matthew Ebden (AUS) 7-6(1) 7-5 Ashleigh Barty / Matthew Ebden (AUS) vs Garbine Muguruza / David Ferrer (ESP) 3-4(3-5) 4-3(5-0) 4-3(5-3)
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2SDjgDP
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