Hopman Cup: Roger Federer edges Serena Williams in mixed doubles match
After the opening match win for Roger Federer over Frances Tiafoe, Switzerland and the USA played much tighter encounters in the rest of the tie, with Switzerland earning a 2-1 win to stay undefeated and continue their march towards the place in the final. Serena Williams scored her second singles win at this year's Hopman Cup, beating Belinda Bencic 4-6 6-4 6-3 in an hour and 40 minutes to level the overall score and set all eyes on the much expected mixed doubles clash. Belinda won one point more than Serena but she couldn't do enough in the crucial points, suffering three breaks from as many chances and stealing Serena's serve twice from five opportunities.
Serena made the best possible start, breaking at love in game two after a forehand error from Belinda and opening a 4-1 lead with commanding holds. Bencic broke back in the seventh game after a volley error from Serena and she was the player to beat in the rest of the set, breaking again at love in game nine and delivering the opener after a service winner in game 10, rattling off the last five games. Both players served great in set number two, with nine easy holds with no deuces or break points, and it was Serena who scored a break at 15 in the 10th game for a 6-4, sending the encounter into a decider and moving ahead at the start of the third set after a double fault from Belinda in the second game.
Serving at 4-2, Serena fends off two break points and bringing the game home with an ace before a solid hold in the ninth game that sent her over the finish line and kept the USA in contention. In the mixed doubles match, Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic scored the second win for Switzerland at this year's Hopman Cup after a 4-2 4-3 win over Frances Tiafoe and Serena Williams in 46 minutes. The Swiss pair served great in the opening set, breaking Tiafoe in the fifth game after a return winner from Bencic and taking the opener after a hold at love from Roger a few minutes later. Roger and Belinda saved a break point in the fourth game of the second set and they won the tie break 5-3 after a great volley from Federer, celebrating another super fine performance and facing Greece in the last match of the round robin stage.
Switzerland vs USA 2-1
Serena Williams (USA) vs Belinda Bencic (SUI) 4-6 6-4 6-3 Belinda Bencic (SUI) / Roger Federer (SUI) vs Serena Williams (USA) / Frances Tiafoe (USA) 4-2 4-3(3)
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2AqWPuc
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