Setback for Swiss Hopman Cup chances

Vavrinec (left) confers with Federer during Sunday's mixed doubles match in Perth Keystone

Switzerland suffered a setback in its bid to retain the Hopman Cup on Sunday after a 3-0 defeat against Australia in Perth.

Australian Lleyton Hewitt overcame a second-set lapse to beat Switzerland’s Roger Federer 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 and clinch a round-robin win for Australia over the Swiss.

Earlier, Alicia Molik gave Australia a 1-0 lead when she eased her way towards a comfortable two-set victory (6-3, 6-4) over Swiss rival Miroslava Vavrinec.

Molik and Hewitt later combined to beat the Swiss pairing of Federer and Vavrinec 6-3, 6-1 in the mixed doubles to give Australia an overall 3-0 win.

In the men’s tie, Hewitt won his first 12 service points and then broke Federer in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead in the first set.

Federer fights back

The Swiss star refused to resign himself to defeat without a fight, and went on to dominate the second set before his Australian opponent returned to win the final set.

After the match, Hewitt admitted he had no answer for Federer’s powerful ground strokes in the second set.

“He’s extremely flashy and he hits some incredible shots,” Hewitt said of his opponent.

“It’s like weathering the storm out there and every time I’ve played him it’s been the same sort of situation. He plays some really great tennis and then he steps off the peddle,” he added.

After Switzerland, Australia will now go on to play Spain and Argentina in the remaining Group B matches. The Swiss team is due to meet Spain on court next Tuesday.

swissinfo with agencies