Federer-Bencic win the Hopman Cup for Switzerland
Roger Federer started the new year in style, by helping Switzerland successfully defend their Hopman Cup title. He now becomes the first player to win 3 Hopman Cups - twice with current partner Belinda Bencic and back in 2001 with Martina Hingis. Federer and Bencic won a closely fought final with a 2-1 victory over Germany's Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev.
Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam champion beat Alexander Zverev in the first match, while Kerber beat Bencic to draw the final level at a match apiece. The tournament was settled after the Swiss pair won the third set tie-break of the mixed doubles match - 4-0 1-4 4-3 (5-4). The mixed doubles is played in a fast four format - with the first team to four points winning the tie-break held if the score is 3-3 in the final set.
Held indoors in Perth, Western Australia in early January each year, the tournament involves mixed-gender teams on a country-by-country basis. The ATP, however, is in talks to replace the Hopman Cup with a World Team Cup, which is set to be launched in Australia from January 2020, with Perth, Brisbane and Sydney being the cities in the running to earn the hosting rights. The 2019 Hopman Cup was the 31st edition and one of the most popular ones ever. Just after winning with Bencic, Federer, who is a huge fan of the event said that he wants the annual international 8-team tournament to continue in its current avatar.
I’m curious to find out myself what will happen. I want to see international tennis here in Perth. If it’s the Hopman Cup, that’s great. If it’s not, then it’s a pity. We had an unbelievable event here for so many years.These events like the Laver Cup and other team competitions back in the day, they get the players closer together — men and women. We share a lot of tournaments together, but it’s not the same as when you play together or share the same court.