TENNIS/BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL:A RUTHLESS Andy Murray powered his way to a 6-1 6-3 win over injury-hampered Alexandr Dolgopolov to win the Brisbane International and take a timely shot of confidence ahead of the Australian Open.
Murray won an enthralling quarter-final in four sets over the Ukrainian at Melbourne Park last year, but the rematch at Pat Rafter Arena fell flat, with a grimacing Dolgopolov dragging an injured right leg around the court. The Scotsman showed little sympathy, running his pony-tailed opponent ragged with sweetly struck shots into the corners to wrap up the match in 66 minutes.
“Firstly I’d like to say sorry to Alex. I know he had a problem with his leg he hurt yesterday and I think he put on a great effort, especially towards the end of the second set,” said Murray. “It’s my first week with my new team and it was good, I really enjoyed it and hopefully it’ll bring more success in future. I look forward to coming back next year.”
Murray’s 22nd ATP title was his first Down Under, overseen by his new coach, eight-times grand slam champion Ivan Lendl.
After breaking Dolgopolov to lead 3-1 in the first set, the world number four won a further seven successive games before his opponent finally held serve in the second. The Ukrainian then clawed back to 4-3 after breaking Murray’s serve with a searing forehand cross-court winner, but lost his own serve to love to surrender the match meekly.
He heads to Melbourne Park in fine fettle for another bid to win his first grand slam title after being stopped in the final at Rod Laver Arena in the past two tournaments.
HOPMAN CUP: The Czech Republic lived up to their Hopman Cup top seeding, winning their second title with a 2-0 victory over Spain in Perth on Saturday night.
World number two Petra Kvitova defeated France’s Marion Bartoli 7-5 6-1 before Tomas Berdych wrapped up the tie with a 7-6 (7-0) 6-4 triumph over good friend Richard Gasquet.
France, in their 18th Hopman Cup appearance, are yet to win the mixed-teams event, while the Czech Republic now have two titles to their name after Jana Novotna and Petr Korda won it in 1994.
QATAR OPEN:World number six Jo-Wilfried Tsonga overcame fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils 7-5 6-3 in the Qatar Open final to claim his eighth title in slippery conditions on Saturday.
Tsonga started sluggishly before rallying from 5-3 down in the first set as he claimed nine of the next 11 games against a fading opponent.
At 6-5 down Monfils crumbled, losing his serve to love to concede the set. Tsonga showed no let-up, serving to love in the second set opener. Monfils made it 1-1 but his anger simmered, shouting in frustration at one error, lobbing his racket after another.
He pummelled a forehand wide to gift his oppoonent the decisive break for a 4-2 lead and Tsonga saw out the match.
HOBART INTERNATIONAL:Seeds Monica Niculescu and Ksenia Pervak were knocked out of the Moorilla Hobart International on the first day of competition yesterday. Romania's Niculescu, seeded third, failed to even get on the board in her first set against Russia's Anna Chakvetadze, and crashed to a 6-0 6-4 defeat. Compatriot Sorana Cirstea dumped out Servak, the seventh seed from Kazakhstan, 6-2 7-6 (8/6). That left another Romanian, Irina-Camelia Begu, as the only seed to progress on the day, after she won 6-2 7-5 over Britain's Elena Baltacha. Australia's Anastasia Rodionova saw off Hungarian Greta Arn 6-4 7-5 while Romanian Simona Halep beat Czech Klara Zakopalova 4-6 6-2 7-5.
