TENNIS: Australia's Lleyton Hewitt and Alicia Molik beat the Czech Republic's Jiri Novak and Daja Bedanova in a crucial tie yesterday to qualify for tomorrow's final of the €550,000 Hopman Cup in Perth.
The second-seeded Australians clinched a thrilling victory when they won the mixed doubles after the singles rubbers had been shared before a sellout crowd of 8,405 at Burswood Dome.
In the doubles, Hewitt and Molik won 4-6, 7-5, 10-4 (in a Super Tiebreaker) over almost two hours.
The Czechs missed a great chance in the second set when they squandered three match points when they were leading 5-4.
Molik gave Australia a fine start when she beat Bedanova, but seventh-ranked Novak defeated world number one Hewitt in the men's singles, leaving the doubles to decide the tie.
Novak won the men's singles 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in one of the biggest wins of his career. Molik had beaten Bedanova 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 in the singles.
Australia will meet the winner of today's United States-Belgium tie in the final.
Earlier yesterday, Belgium flexed their muscles with a convincing 3-0 victory over Uzbekistan - an ideal warm-up for the match against the top-seeded US side.
World number four Kim Clijsters beat Iroda Tulyaganova 6-3, 6-2, and Xavier Malisse overcame Oleg Ogorodov 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 before the Belgians also won the mixed doubles, 6-1, 6-1.
A highlight of today's clash will be Clijsters' confrontation with world number one Serena Williams.
After Australia's win, Hewitt said Novak had played extremely well to beat him in the singles.
"I have played him four times before - and this was the best I have seen him," Hewitt said. "My serve was not working in that match, but I am just happy I have been able to play some big shots in the doubles."
