17°c A few clouds
22°c Thundershowers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Venus, Isner get results in Australia
PERTH, Australia -- Venus Williams and John Isner led the United States to a 2-1 victory over South Africa at the Hopman Cup mixed team competition Sunday.
Williams rallied to defeat 60th-ranked Chanelle Scheepers 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. After Kevin Anderson beat Isner 7-6 (0), 7-6 (5), the match came down to mixed doubles. Williams and Isner beat the South Africans 6-3, 6-2 to clinch victory.
Williams took some time to settle in against an opponent who rallied well and hit the ball deep. Scheepers broke Williams at love to serve for the first set. But after that, the seven-time Grand Slam champion looked increasingly comfortable and began to play more aggressively.
Williams clinched the second set when Scheepers double-faulted. She then won the first four games of the third.
Williams was playing for the first time since winning at Luxembourg in mid-October.
"I was just trying to find some rhythm out there," she said. "She's obviously a really good player having maintained a top-40, top-50 ranking the last couple of years. She played a match yesterday, too, so had an extra advantage. It felt good out there.
"I'm not expecting to be perfect now, but I'm thinking that my game will get better every match. I think the doubles will help as well to hone everything. More than anything I was just so excited to be out there playing, and I'm ready to go for it."
In the late contest, Spain beat France 2-1 after Fernando Verdasco and Anabel Medina Garrigues teamed up with to win the mixed doubles against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mathilde Johansson.
Tsonga put France ahead when he beat Verdasco 7-5, 6-3 in the singles, and Medina Garrigues levelled by overcoming Mathilde Johansson 6-3, 6-2.
Tsonga saved three set points before going up 1-0. He then broke three times in the second set and closed out the match on his fourth match point.
"It was not easy at the beginning," Tsonga said. "He played well. Then I wake up and played a lot better and it was a good match for me, to win the first match of the season. The first one is always tough. You have to be really focused. The best part of my game was that I moved pretty well today."
Medina Garrigues was rarely under pressure against Johansson, breaking to lead 4-3 and then taking the opening set when Johansson hit a double-fault on break point.
-- The Associated Press
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 31, 2012 C11
More Tennis
- Back to Top
- Return to Tennis
More Tennis
(1 of 29 articles for this week)
Ex-tennis doubles champion Bob Hewitt summoned to SAfrican court after sex abuse accusations
4:30 AM 0JOHANNESBURG - Former Grand Slam tennis doubles champion Bob Hewitt has been served a summons to appear in a South ...
Poll
Most Popular Tennis
- Serena Williams apologizes after comments on Steubenville rape case
- Foosball-playing kid stuns mighty Sharapova
- Rafael Nadal seeded No. 5 at Wimbledon, faces tough path to final at grass-court slam
- French Open prize money up by 3.3 million euros; male, female winners to get 1.5 million each
- Preparing for Wimbledon, Del Potro and Querrey move through to 3rd round at Queens
- Daniela Hantuchova, Croatian teen Donna Vekic reach Birmingham grass final
- Top-seeded Canadian Raonic beaten by Dodig at Eastbourne tennis tournament
- Flipkens keeps Belgian hopes alive in Fed Cup playoff, levels match at 1-1 vs Poland
- Roger Federer has crowd on his side as he prepares to face another Frenchman at French Open
- Roger Federer beats Mikhail Youzhny to win Gerry Weber Open for 1st title of the year
- Serena Williams apologizes after comments on Steubenville rape case
- Foosball-playing kid stuns mighty Sharapova
- Preparing for Wimbledon, Del Potro and Querrey move through to 3rd round at Queens
- Simona Halep wins 1st career WTA title in Nuremburg, beats Andrea Petkovic 6-3, 6-3
- Rafael Nadal seeded No. 5 at Wimbledon, faces tough path to final at grass-court slam
- Friends, foes, roommates in final
- Federer puts on a show for royals
- After Azarenka withdraws, Davis goes from being lucky loser to lucky winner at Sony Open
- French Open prize money up by 3.3 million euros; male, female winners to get 1.5 million each
- Bernard Tomic's hitting partner wants tennis player's father banned for alleged head-butt
- Serena Williams apologizes after comments on Steubenville rape case
- Protesters interrupt French Open final, call for resignation of French president
- Nadal overcomes doubts to win 8th French title; takes 22-match win streak into Wimbledon
- Roger Federer has crowd on his side as he prepares to face another Frenchman at French Open
- Novak Djokovic's first coach Jelena Gencic dies at age 76
- FRENCH OPEN 2013: Capsules on men to watch at the year's second Grand Slam tennis tournament
- Wawrinka rants and fights his way to reach French Open quarters for 1st time
- Serena, Venus Williams to play French Open doubles for 1st time in 3 years thanks to wild card
- Cinderella story glad she stuck it out
- French Open prize money up by 3.3 million euros; male, female winners to get 1.5 million each
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.