Hopman Cup: Kyrgios, Gavrilova do Australia proud

Duo win respective singles to bag mixed teams title

PERTH: Australians Nick Kyrgios and Daria Gavrilova beat Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and Alexandr Dolgopolov to win the mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth on Saturday.

For the first time, the host nation fielded two teams in the tournament, and Kyrgios and Gavrilova went through the week unbeaten as Australia Green, culminating in their 2-0 win over Ukraine to give Australia their second Hopman Cup title.

Both players won their singles matches in the final in straight sets, with the mixed doubles not being played.



For both Australians, who have known each other for several years, it was a milestone tournament win.

Kyrgios collected his first senior ITF tournament title just four months after he was dumped from the Davis Cup team for the semi-final against Great Britain.

Gavrilova, who played for Russia until 2014, was representing her adopted country for the first time, having been naturalised last month.



“It means a lot, it is my first real title to have won,” said Kyrgios. “It is the perfect way to start the year, I haven’t lost a match yet and I am riding a lot of confidence into the Australian summer.”

Gavrilova, meanwhile, could scarcely believe her luck.

“It is the biggest event I have ever won and just representing Australia for the first time and winning this title straight away is amazing,” she said.



The pair were just one point from being eliminated from the tournament when they faced a match point against France in the deciding mixed doubles on Friday night; however, they were in total control in the final.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2016.

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