Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova and Dominik Hrbaty won the 2009 Hopman Cup with victory over the Russian brother-sister team of Dinara Safina and Marat Safin in Perth on Friday.

Russia had been the favorites to win the mixed team event since world No.3 Dinara Safina and No.29 Marat Safin were ranked much higher than their respective singles opponents. However, not everything goes in accordance with the ranking.

World number 19 Cibulkova beat Safina 6-7(3) 6-1 6-4 for the first time, while world number 250 Hrbaty edged out the two-time Grand Slam champion Safin 6-7(5) 7-5 7-6(3).

The Slovak Republic have won their third Hopman Cup title. (sources: Reuters, Hompan Cup)

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Serena Williams won’t go to Perth to defend her Hopman Cup title, having withdrawn from the 2009 event with hamstring injury.

According to Hopman Cup organizers, the American injured her hamstring during the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, which forced her to leave the season-ending tournament during the round-robin phase.

Serena Williams will be replaced at the January 3-9 tournament by American countrywoman Meghann Shaughnessy, who is expected to partner with James Blake. (source: On the Baseline, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

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World number three Jelena Jankovic injured her right thigh in singles against France’s Tatiana Golovin in the Hopman Cup, but the Serb is willing to give everything for the title!

Injured Jankovic played mixed doubles against France with compatriot Novak Djokovic, and the two won the match giving Serbia a 2-1 win against France. Then they played Argentina. Jankovic had to retire in the second set against Gisela Dulko, but then, together with Djokovic she struggled but defeated the team of Gisela Dulko and Juan Ignacio Chela to take Serbia to the Friday’s final against the United States represented by Serena Williams and Mardy Fish. Read more »

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Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic played only one whole game in the singles match against France’s Tatiana Golovin in the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, before retiring with extremely painful right thigh injury. Jelena blames the lack of training because of her nose surgery for the condition she’s now in. Read more »

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