Philippoussis, Dokic inspire Aussie win

PERTH, Jan 9: Australian pair Mark Philippoussis and Jelena Dokic won thrilling singles matches against Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman and Asa C...

PERTH, Jan 9: Australian pair Mark Philippoussis and Jelena Dokic won thrilling singles matches against Sweden8217;s Jonas Bjorkman and Asa Carlsson today to give the host nation its first win in the Hopman Cup mixed teams tournament.

Philippoussis, last year8217;s US Open runner-up and world number 15, gave Australia an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the best-of-three match final by beating Bjorkman 6-3, 7-6 8-6.

Philippoussis came from 4-0 down in the second set tie-break.

Dokic, only 15 and ranked 341 in the world, won the opening match of the decider against Carlsson 6-2, 7-6 10-8.

Ivanisevic breaks down

QATAR: Goran Ivanisevic, whose suspect temperament has cost him many victories in his career, suffered a breakdown in technique as he bowed out of the Qatar Open yesterday.

The towering Croat8217;s exceptional service let him down completely as he produced 16 double faults in a 6-2, 6-7 5-7, 6-2 quarter-final defeat by German qualifier Rainer Schuttler.

Schuttler8217;s semifinal opponent will beFrenchman Cedric Pioline, the former Wimbledon finalist who beat Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina 7-6 7-2, 6-2. Top-seeded Briton Tim Henman will face Moroccan Karim Alami in the other semifinal.

Enqvist, Hewitt in final

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ADELAIDE: Swede Thomas Enqvist put last year8217;s injury-plagued season behind him to earn a berth in the Australian men8217;s Hardcourt tennis final by defeating Australian Scott Draper 6-3, 7-5.

Enqvist will play defending champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in Sunday8217;s final following Hewitt8217;s 6-1, 6-3 win over Jason Stoltenberg in the other semifinal.

Schnyder beats Pierce

GOLD COAST: Second seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland beat top seed Mary Pierce of France to win the Australian Women8217;s Hardcourt tennis championship.

Schnyder, ranked 11th in the world, collected her sixth tour title with a 4-6, 7-6 7-5, 6-2 win over Pierce at the Hope Island Tennis Club on Queensland8217;s Gold Coast.

Graf pulls out

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HONG KONG: Former world number one Steffi Graf withdrewfrom an exhibition event with severe stomach pains today ahead of the Australian Open which starts in nine days8217; time.

Graf, who has dropped to number nine in the world rankings played four games in the final of the Super-Power challenge against Venus Williams before pulling out.