Sunday, December 29, 2013

Withdrawals change the field in Perth

First, young ATP star Jerzy Janowicz withdrew from Poland's top-seeded Hopman Cup team, leaving Agnieszka Radwanska in a difficult position. Now Tommy Robredo, the King of Hopman Cup, has withdrawn because of a wrist injury, leaving Anabel Medina Garrigues in a bad position. Of course, there are a lot of top-ranked Spanish players, but none of them is in Perth. Daniel Munoz-De La Nava has joined the Spainish team, and Davis Cup team member Grzegorz Panfil has taken the spot on the Polish team.

So far, things are going okay for Radwanska. In the very first match of the Hopman Cup, she beat Flavia Pennetta 6-2 6-2. She and Panfil then beat the Itaian team of Pennetta and Oliver Anderson 6-2, 6-1. Oliver Anderson? That's right--Andreas Seppi retired because of illness in his singles match and Anderson stepped in to play for Italy.

So Poland went 3-0 against Italy.

Spain didn't have the same fortune. Medina Garrigues won only one game against Petra Kvitova, Munoz-De La Nava lost to Radek Stepanek, and the the Spanish team lost to the Czechs in mixed doubles.

Canada went 2-1 against Australia on the event's opening day, and one of those victories belonged to Eugenie Bouchard, who beat Sam Stosur 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

2 comments:

Todd.Spiker said...

And now Poland defeats Canada, too. A-Rad over Bouchard in three, and Panfil over Raonic in straights (!!!).

I figured when Janowicz went out the Poles had gone from the Group A favorites to a likely 4th place finish. Guess not. ;)

Hmmm, it's almost like they got "something extra" working on their side. :D

Diane said...

Yeah, I just saw that. Panfil is taking this really seriously. Wow. Also worth noting that Bouchard took a set off of Radwanska.