2011 Hopman Cup: Review Session 4 – United States vs. France
Session four on Monday evening at the 2011 Hopman Cup (HC) saw the rematch of the longest Wimbledon match as John Isner met Nicolas Mahut. Partnering Bethanie Mattek-Sands and representing United States, Isner met the French team of Nicolas Mahut and Kristina Mladenovic.
These four, along with twelve others, are participating in the International Tennis Federation’s first event of the season. Appearing for the first time in the HC, Mahut replaced Gael Monfils in Team France after the latter pulled out due to a knee injury.
Mattek-Sands, also a first timer at the HC, replaced Serena Williams after the latter continues to recover from an injury she suffered after Wimbledon. Losing Serena, America lost their seed position to Italy. Isner is competing at the event for the second time after having debuted in 2010.
Kicking off play for the day was world number 58 Mattek-Sands taking on the world number 211 Mladenovic. Given the difference in the rankings, it came as much surprise when the match went into three sets. Opening the first set, Mladenovic clinched a surprising 6-3 victory, putting Mattek-Sands under much pressure. The American bounced back in the second, reversing the scores and winning it 6-3. With one set each the match entered the decider. Not giving much leeway to her opponent, Mattek-Sands rushed into a breadstick victory, securing a 1-0 lead for the United States.
Following these two on the courts was Mahut and Isner in a rematch of their 2010 Wimbledon match. Resting at a level career head-to-head, the only advantage that Isner enjoyed was a higher ranking which might suggest a superior skill set. The two had met once in 2008 with Mahut as the victor. Their latest meeting came in 2010 when they met in their R128 match at Wimbledon.
Opening service in the first set, Isner led the score 3-1. With the loss of three games on the next four, Isner was able to extend this lead to 4-3. Winning two straight games, Isner was able to clinch the first set 6-3. Fighting back in the second, Mahut was able to lead the set into a tiebreaker keeping the score tied till 6-6. Going neck to neck for ten points, Isner was only able to catch a break at the eleventh where he won two straight points to win the tiebreaker 7-5.
In a match that lasted ninety minutes, Isner served seventeen aces and committed only one double fault to enjoy a straight set victory of 6-3, 7-6(5) over the French player. Isner sealed United States victory, taking her 2-0 in the score.
Happy to have won the match “quickly”, Isner said, "If I had’ve lost that second set it might have gone for four hours, so I was lucky to finish it in two. First match of the year, I’m pretty pleased with how I played. I got on top of him early in the first set and then the second set he picked his game up and I kind of just stayed the course with mine. A lot of times with my matches that’s sometimes how I go. I didn’t get the break in the second set and one I maybe could’ve gotten, but fortunately for me I came up with my best serve late in that second set and won."
A mere formality, the mixed doubles was also won by the Americans allowing them a perfect untainted victory over the French. Although they put up a fight in the first set, winning it 6-2, the French had in effect lost the session. Bouncing back in the second set, Isner and Mattek-Sands won it 6-3 taking the match into a Match Tiebreak with one set win each. In a hard fought battle between the two, the Americans were eventually able to secure a 10-8 victory in the tiebreak.
United States lead Group B with a 3-0 match score, ready for her clash with Italy on Wednesday morning, while France meets fourth seeds Great Britain in the evening.
Tags: