ZCZC
BSP-06
TENNIS-HOPMAN
‘Heartbreaking’: tennis stars lament potential end of Hopman Cup
PERTH, Australia, Jan 6, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The likely demise of the Hopman
Cup after three decades of the unique mixed teams tennis tournament has been
greeted with sadness by players at this year’s edition, with Serena Williams
calling the prospect “heartbreaking”.
Swiss duo Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic beat Germans Alexander Zverev
and Angelique Kerber in Saturday’s final in front of a sell-out crowd in
Perth, but it is expected to be the last instalment of the event.
A dramatic finish to what was arguably the best Hopman Cup ever — which
also saw Federer and Serena face off for the first time in a historic mixed
doubles clash — came down to a single match point shared by both sides in
the final.
However, the event is widely tipped to be scrapped to make way for the new
ATP World Team Cup, which will start next year.
While Tennis Australia has a contract with the West Australian State
Government to run the ITF-sanctioned tournament until 2022, the new ATP event
would make it very hard for the Hopman Cup to attract top men’s players.
American superstar Serena, who was playing in Perth for the fifth time in
her career and has won the title twice, said she was unaware of speculation
on the Hopman’s fate, but that she was upset by the prospect of it vanishing.
“Obviously it would be heartbreaking,” she said. German world number two
Kerber, who has reached successive finals in the past two Hopman Cups, was
saddened by the news.
“I really love the tournament,” she said. “We all will be sad that it is
the last time at Hopman Cup.
“Playing here as a team with your partner, playing the mixed which is
exciting, I will miss it.”
Launched in 1989 by former Australian players Paul McNamee and Charlie
Fancutt and named after Australian tennis great Harry Hopman, the Hopman Cup
has been used as preparation for the Australian Open by three decades of
players and has held a unique place in the tennis world as the only top level
mixed teams tournament.
– ‘Unbelievable event’ –
Swiss legend Roger Federer, with five appearances in Perth including one
partnered with his future wife Miroslava Vavrinec back in 2002, said it would
be “a pity” if the event did not continue.
“We had an unbelievable event here for so many years — the Hopman Cup has
been very successful from a player’s viewpoint,” the three-time winner said.
“The players have always enjoyed this event, so let’s hope it continues in
some shape and form,” said Federer, adding that he believed a mixed teams
event was good for tennis.
“Where and how and what, honestly I don’t know,” he added.
Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, who played four times at the Hopman and won the
title with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2014, was mortified by the prospect of the
event disappearing.
“That would be the worst thing ever,” she said.
“Losing the Hopman Cup after losing Davis Cup and everything that is
happening with the ITF, I think it’s a big shame.
“I think people, what they enjoy about this competition, is the fact that
it’s mixed.
“It’s just a unique and special competition and losing it, I would be very
sad.”
Zverev, beaten in the final two years in a row, said he hoped there would
be a chance to atone and that he hadn’t played his last Hopman match.
“It will be tough to swallow because I will remember this as our last ever
match,” he said.
“It was a great match, but we came so close and lost it, so I hope there
will be many more chances to play the Hopman Cup.”
BSS/AFP/MSY/0959 hrs