Djokovic cruises to fourth Mubadala title

Britain beat Greece while Australia down France in Hopman Cup

Cameron Norrie and Katie Boulter beat Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari 4-3, 3-4, 4-3, including 5-4 in a tiebreaker in the deciding mixed doubles set in the Fast4 format, to give Britain a 2-1 win over Greece in the opening match of the eight-team Hopman Cup tennis tournament.

Norrie upset No. 15-ranked Tsitsipas 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 to give Britain the lead before Sakkari beat Boulter 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 in women’s singles to level the tie.

Ashleigh Barty gave Australia a 1-0 lead with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Alize Cornet before Matt Ebden clinched it for the home side with a 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 win over Lucas Pouille.

Pouille and Cornet prevailed in the mixed doubles 4- 3, 4- 2 to make the final score 2- 1 to Australia.

“A bit of polish is needed but it was nice to come out and play a pretty clean match,” Barty said. “I love being back home ... playing in Australia.”

The most anticipated match of the eight-team tournament is scheduled tomorrow when Switzerland’s Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic play Americans Serena Williams and Frances Tiafoe.

It means Federer and Williams will play against each other in the mixed doubles portion of that match.

Switzerland play Britain and Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev take on Garbine Muguruza and David Ferrer of Spain in other matches – AP ABU DHABI: World number one Novak Djokovic won a fourth Mubadala World Tennis Championship title, coming back from a set down to beat Kevin Anderson 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.

Djokovic claimed victory on a fifth match point against his South African opponent who won the pre-season exhibition tournament in 2018.

The 31-year-old Djokovic previously claimed the three-day event in the UAE in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and has now matched Rafael Nadal’s record of four titles after Saturday’s win

“I’m a bit tired. We weren’t expecting to play two hours and 30 minutes just before the start of the season,” said Djokovic who is building towards an assault on a possible seventh Australian Open title next month.

Wimbledon and US Open champion Djokovic now heads to neighbouring Doha where he will be top seed at the Qatar Open starting on Monday. He will take on Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur in his tournament opener. — AFP