Sports in Brief: Danes top U.S. in Hopman Cup | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2012-01-03
The United States lost to Denmark, 2-1, in tennis Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, on Monday, with late-arriving Caroline Wozniacki and Frederik Nielsen beating Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Mardy Fish, 7-5, 6-3, in the deciding mixed doubles match.
Fish gave the United States an opening victory in this Australian Open tune-up, defeating Nielsen, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4. The top-ranked Wozniacki, who made it to the tournament only four hours earlier on a flight from Thailand, beat Mattek-Sands, 7-6 (4), 6-2, to tie the best-of-three series before the Danes combined to win mixed doubles.
Serena Williams admitted shes dreading another season, but still cant live without tennis after taking just 68 minutes to get by Chanelle Scheepers, 6-2, 6-3, at the Brisbane International in Australia.
Williams was asked after the match whether her four-month layoff after her US Open defeat means shes fallen out of love with her sport.
Ive never really liked sports – I never understood how I became an athlete, she said. If it involves sitting down or shopping, I am excellent at that. I dont love tennis today . . . but I cant live without it, so I am still here.
In the first round of the Chennai Open in India, Dudi Sela routed sixth-seeded Fabio Fognini, 6-0, 6-1, while fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig rallied past Vishnu Vardhan, 4-6, 7-6 (8), 6-1. Yuki Bhambri, a former top-ranked junior, upset Karol Beck, 6-2, 6-3.
In Auckland, New Zealand, Sabine Lisicki beat Virginie Razzano, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round of the ASB Classic. Former world No. 4 Jelena Dokic suffered a setback in her preparation for the Australian Open, falling, 7-6 (5), 6-1, to unseeded Mona Barthel. American Christina McHale beat Alexandra Dulgheru, 6-2, 6-3.
SOCCER: Independence goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and forward Amy Rodriguez, and Delrans Carli Lloyd are among the 29 players called up by US coach Pia Sundhage for a training camp before paring the roster to 20 for Olympic womens qualifying. The group will train in Carson, Calif., from Jan. 7 to 15 and then head to Vancouver for the regional qualifying tournament.
In London, Bobby Zamora scored in stoppage time to give Fulham a 2-1 victory over Arsenal and knock the Gunners from the English Premier Leagues top four.
Chelsea moved into fourth with a 2-1 win over host Wolverhampton, with Frank Lampard hitting the winner.
HOCKEY: Markus Granlund scored twice and older brother Mikael Granlund added a goal to lead Finland to an 8-5 quarterfinal win over Slovakia at the world junior mens hockey championship in Calgary, Alberta. The Finns advanced to face Sweden in a Tuesday semifinal.
COLLEGES: Temple forward Anthony Lee was named the Atlantic Ten rookie of the week. The 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman averaged 8.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in victories over Buffalo and Delaware.
WNBA: The Seattle Storm traded all-star Swin Cash and forward Lecoe Willingham to the Chicago Sky for the No. 2 pick in the 2012 draft.
FIGURE SKATING: Yahoo! Sports reported that Coatesville native Johnny Weir, a former US champion and Olympian, officially married boyfriend Victor Voronov on New Years Eve. Weir later tweeted that the actual wedding ceremony will take place in the summer, according to the New York Daily News.
– Staff and wire reports