Past Results - Hopman Cup VIII (31st Dec 1995 - 6th Jan 1996)
The Hopman Cup international teams tournament has introduced many
rising young stars to the Australian stage ... and it was time to
pencil in another name destined for greatness.
Martina Hingis, a charming 15-year-old born in Czechoslovakia, but
a resident of nearby Switzerland, was having her first look at the
Hopman Cup. With a world ranking of 16, the winner of most of the
world's top junior tournaments had well and truly graduated into
senior ranks even though, as at January 1996, she hadn't won a singles
title on the women's Tour, she was a force to be reckoned with.
Partnered by the lanky Marc Rosset, the Swiss were seeded three,
with No. 1 honours going to the awesome Croatian pair of Goran Ivanisevic
and youngster Iva Majoli, both in the top 10. This was their first
appearance, flying the flag of their new country and making up for
the disappointment of a year earlier when an ATP suspension had cost
Ivanisevic the chance to debut at the Hopman Cup, thereby leaving
Majoli as a spectator also.
A new format saw eight countries playing in a round-robin series,
in two groups of four, playing three matches each and the top two
teams fighting it out for the Cup. Hingis was first-up on centre
court and the crowd marvelled at her skills. Here was a young lass,
slightly built with an ever-present smile and seemingly out of her
depth in the world of women. But she was soon to dispel that myth,
starting with a three-set win over Australia's Nicole Provis now
married to Australian basketballer Mark Bradtke who won the first
set in a tie-breaker.
It was time to introduce yet another rising young star, Australia's
boom machine Mark Philippoussis, a 19-year-old from Melbourne who
had suddenly jumped up to No. 32 in the men's world rankings. The “Scud” was
one of the fastest servers in the world, but he bowed to the experience
of Rosset, who had arrived just 10 hours earlier and with five hours
sleep. The Aussies won the mixed doubles 7-5, 6-1 and remember, every
rubber counted this year.
Another fine new name was up next in America's Chanda Rubin, not
yet 20, but already No. 15 in the world and partnered by the evergreen
Richey Reneberg. Gritty South African Amanda Coetzer won the opening
rubber, but Reneberg balanced things up with a surprise win over
Wayne Ferreira, two and two and the Americans won a tight mixed to
inflict South Africa's fourth successive first-up loss; but their
time would come.
More young talent coming up and this time the fans could see why
the 18-year-old Majoli was in the top 10 as she disposed of France's
Catherine Tanvier and when Wimbledon runner-up Ivanisevic beat Arnaud
Boetsch and they combined for a three-set win in the mixed, the top
seeds were 3-0 winners.
Germany's Anke Huber featured in a three-set hit-out with Brenda
Schultz-McCarthy to set the pattern for a classic contest with the
Netherlands. Soon-to-be-Wimbledon-champ Richard Krajicek balanced
the scales, beating Martin Sinner in a tie-breaker in the third,
but the Germans survived in another tight mixed, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
France made life harder for South Africa with a 2-1 scorecard even
though Coetzer continued her winning ways. Boetsch beat an injured
Ferreira in two tie-breakers and the French won the mixed.
Croatia were back again, beating the USA, with Rubin showing her
potential to beat Majoli, not dropping a game in the second set,
but Ivanisevic downed Reneberg and then combined for the mixed win.
Germany downed Australia, with Huber winning three and one against
Bradtke, but Philippoussis went down fighting 7-5, 7-6 after taking
the first set off Sinner, 6-4 and serving for the match at 5-4 in
the second. The Aussies won the mixed to keep their hopes alive.
Switzerland continued on their winning way, with Hingis beating
Schultz-McCarthy and Rosset showing his best form to down Krajicek.
Though they lost the mixed, they were still on target for the final.
Session nine saw a double-header with South Africa disposing of
Croatia 2-1, but in the terms of the round-robin, Ivanisevic only
needed to beat Ferreira to clinch a finals spot and he did that four
and three.
The Americans beat France 2-1 in a duel for second-place prizemoney
in their pool, with Rubin in winning form against Tanvier, but Boetsch
grabbed a rubber over Reneberg, only to see the USA rebound in the
mixed.
Session 10 was another double header, plagued by an injury to Krajicek
who defaulted in the second set against Philippoussis and also the
mixed, while Switzerland guaranteed their appearance in the final
with a clean sweep against Germany, Hingis in three, but Rosset in
two and their mixed form looked awesome, dropping just four games.
If the fans thought they had watched some great tennis in the previous
days, the tension was about to go up a notch or three.
Hingis was too polished for Majoli in the battle of the teenage
doubles partners, winning 6-3, 6-0 in their first clash in a tournament.
Ivanisevic and Rosset are the best of friends, but you would never
know it as they fiercely fought out a 7-6, 7-5 thriller, with Croatia
levelling the match.
So it came down to a live mixed doubles to decide the winners of
HCVIII, with the Swiss taking the first 6-3, the Croatians the second
7-6 and the diminutive Hingis showing a touch of genius to return
big Goran's service, one of the fastest in the world. With the score
at 4-5, the Swiss held four match points on Ivanisevic's booming
serve, but they lost their chances (one on a disputed line call)
and Rosset thumped the backboard in frustration.
That act of anger at his inability to snare the prize was to prove
disastrous, as he had to forfeit after a couple more shots, dropping
his racquet in agony trying to put a volley away.
It was drama on both sides of the net; Rosset was shattered by his
act of foolishness; Hingis didn't know where to look; Majoli was
stunned and Ivanisevic was concerned for his friend's injury which
turned out to be a broken bone.
It was a sad ending to almost five hours of tense tennis and it
was a humble Rosset who apologised to the fans and his partner -
for his disappointing finale.
Results
Hopman Cup VIII (31 December 1995 - 6 January 1996)
Seeds:
1. Croatia: Goran Ivanisevic/Iva Majoli
2. Netherlands: Richard Krajicek/Brenda Schultz-McCarthy
3. Switzerland: Marc Rosset/Martina Hingis
4. South Africa: Wayne Ferreira/Amanda Coetzer
5. USA: Richey Reneberg/Chanda Rubin
6. Australia: Mark Philippoussis/Nicole Bradtke
7. Germany: Martin Sinner/Anke Huber
8. France: Arnaud Boetsch/Catherine Tanvier
Final:
Croatia d. Switzerland 2-1:
Martina Hingis defeated Iva Majoli 6-3 6-0;
Goran Ivanisevic defeated Marc Rosset 7-6 7-5;
Ivanisevic/Majoli defeated Rosset/Hingis 3-6 7-6 5-5 Ret.
Group A:
USA d. South Africa 2-1:
Amanda Coetzer defeated Chanda Rubin 6-2 6-4;
Richey Reneberg defeated Wayne Ferreira 6-2 6-2;
Reneberg/Rubin defeated Ferreira/Coetzer 7-5 6-3.
Croatia d. France 3-0:
Iva Majoli defeated Catherine Tanvier 6-1 6-2;
Goran Ivanisevic defeated Arnaud Boetsch 7-5 6-4;
Ivanisevic/Majoli defeated Boetsch/Tanvier 3-6 6-1 7-6.
France d. South Africa 2-1:
Amanda Coetzer defeated Catherine Tanvier 6-2 6-1;
Arnaud Boetsch defeated Wayne Ferreira 7-6 7-6;
Boetsch/Tanvier defeated Ferreira/Coetzer 6-2 7-6.
Croatia d. USA 2-1:
Chanda Rubin defeated Iva Majoli 7-5 6-0;
Goran Ivanisevic defeated Richey Reneberg 7-6 6-3;
Ivanisevic/Majoli defeated Reneberg/Rubin 6-4 6-2.
South Africa d. Croatia 2-1:
Amanda Coetzer defeated Iva Majoli 6-4 3-6 6-1;
Goran Ivanisevic defeated Wayne Ferreira 6-4 6-3;
Ferreira/Coetzer defeated Ivanisevic/Majoli 4-6 6-3 7-6.
USA d. France 2-1:
Chanda Rubin defeated Catherine Tanvier 6-2 6-2;
Arnaud Boetsch defeated Richey Reneberg 4-6 6-4 6-1;
Reneberg/Rubin defeated Boetsch/Tanvier 6-2 7-5.
Group B:
Switzerland d. Australia 2-1:
Martina Hingis defeated Nicole Bradtke 6-7 6-3 6-3;
Marc Rosset defeated Mark Philippoussis 6-3 6-3;
Philippoussis/Bradtke defeated Rosset/Hingis 7-5 6-1.
Germany d. Netherlands 2-1:
Anke Huber defeated Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 3-6 6-4 7-6;
Richard Krajicek defeated Martin Sinner 7-5 5-7 7-6;
Sinner/Huber defeated Krajicek/Schultz-McCarthy 2-6 6-1 6-2.
Germany d. Australia 2-1:
Anke Huber defeated Nicole Bradtke 6-3 6-1;
Martin Sinner defeated Mark Philippoussis 4-6 7-5 7-6;
Philippoussis/Bradtke defeated Sinner/Huber 7-6 6-2.
Switzerland d. Netherlands 2-1:
Martina Hingis defeated Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 6-3 7-5;
Marc Rosset d. Richard Krajicek 6-4 6-4;
Krajicek/Schultz-McCarthy defeated Rosset/Hingis 6-3 2-6 7-7(0).
Australia d. Netherlands 2-1:
Brenda Schultz-McCarthy defeated Nicole Bradtke 5-7 7-5 6-0;
Mark Philippoussis defeated Richard Krajicek 7-6 2-1 Ret;
Philippoussis/Bradtke defeated Krajicek/Schultz-McCarthy - w/o.
Switzerland d. Germany 3-0:
Martina Hingis defeated Anke Huber 2-6 6-2 6-1;
Marc Rosset defeated Martin Sinner 6-2 6-4;
Rosset/Hingis defeated Sinner/Huber 6-1 6-3.
|