Hopman Cup Day 6: USA d. Australia

Session 10 - Serbia 2 d Argentina 1
Jelena Jankovic lost to Gisela Dulko 7-6(12/10), 0-6, 0-6 retired
Novak Djokovic d Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2, 6-3
Jankovic/Djokovic d Dulko/Chela 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(10/4)

France 3 d Chinese Taipei 0
Tatiana Golovin d Hsieh Su-Wei 6-1, 6-1
Arnaud Clement d Lu Yen-Hsun 7-6(7/2), 6-4
Golovin/Clement d Hsieh/Lu 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(10/6)

Session 9 - USA 3 d Australia 0
Serena Williams d Alicia Molik 6-2, 7-6(9/7)
Mardy Fish d Peter Luczak 7-6(7/5), 7-6(12/10)
Williams/Fish d Molik/Luczak 6-2, 6-3

In yesterday's action, two of the best servers in the women's game faced off, but the match was ultimately decided by the devastating returns of Serena Williams.

The USA got out to a quick start when Serena was able to break Alicia's offering early in the first set and she did it once more to close out the set 6-2.

In the second set, Alicia started to return better, but she still couuldn't get a break through on Serena's serve. Serena failed to convert 4 breakpoints late in the second set and had to finish off Alicia in a tense tiebreak 9-7.

In the men's match, Mardy Fish got all he could handle from Peter Luczak who spends half his time earning points on the challenger circuit. But Mardy was able to overcome the Aussie in the first set tiebreak.

Mardy's serve was on fire throughout the match and he finished with 25 aces, but when he stepped up to serve for the match at 5-4, he couldn't get a first serve in. Despite having two match points on his serve, he was ultimately broken and he slumped in a chair as if he'd lost his favorite pet.

But Mardy, who seemed inspired by our recent Davis Cup victory, recovered in the tiebreak, thanks to Peter's huge forehand miss on his own set point. And this after Mardy wasted another matchpoint on his own serve.

On the change of ends after Pete's big miss, Mardy consoled him with a smile and a half-hug, the kind of sportsmanship that brings a laugh to the audience, the kind of sportsmanship you never during a match between women, even in such a relaxed atmosphere.

When Pete netted his final forehand, USA clenched a spot in the final.

In mixed doubles, Serena and Mardy dominated from jump. Both Americans returned serve aggressively and put the Aussies on their back feet on the first strike. It was great to see Serena have so much fun in what was ultimately an exhibition match, but her and Mardy needed a good showing in order to compete well in the final with the one-man show Serbia has become due to Jelena's hamstring injury.

Serena should have no trouble with Jelena, and while Novak is favored to beat Mardy, whom he's never played, I don't think it's a gimme if Mardy can continue to serve and return well and not breakdown if he puts himself in a position to win the match.

USA will have the advantage in mixed doubles (Serena has never lost a Hopman Cup match in singles or mixed) and if we execute, we will win our fifth Hopman Cup.