PERTH, Jan 5: The United States will meet the Netherlands in the final of the $725,000 Hopman Cup mixed teams tennis tournament after both teams were gifted berths courtesy of walkovers here Thursday.

Unbeaten after two ties, the Americans were trailing 2-0 in their third tie against Sweden after losing both singles rubbers when veteran Thomas Johansson could not return for the mixed-doubles rubber.

Had the Swedes scored a clean-sweep by winning the rubber, it would have meant either top seeds Russia or Serbia and Montenegro would have joined the Dutch in the final on Friday.

Instead, the Americans marched into the final due to winning more sets than their two nearest rivals.

Tournament wildcards the Netherlands also walked into the final when German Nicolas Kiefer pulled out of both the singles and the mixed doubles rubbers citing back spasms — giving the Dutch a 3-0 win and a perfect record in the tournament.

Johansson, who had beaten American Taylor Dent 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 6-3 in their singles rubber, was treated for both hip and shoulder problems during the match.

Sweden’s Sofia Arvidsson set the scene for a possible whitewash with a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over doubles specialist Lisa Raymond before Johansson’s victory clinched the tie.

Earlier on Thursday, the tournament’s surprise packets the Netherlands marched into the final after topping Group B when Kiefer pulled out of his tie with Peter Wessels.

The Netherlands had already taken a 1-0 lead in the tie courtesy of a 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) singles win to Michaella Krajicek over Anna-Lena Groenefeld which was enough to see them advance ahead of either Germany or Argentina — 2-1 losers to Australia in the other tie.

The Dutch pair only qualified for the main draw of the eight-nation mixed teams event when they defeated China in a play-off but won all three of their ties against second-seeds Argentina, third-seeds Australia and Germany, the bookmakers’ favourite for the tournament.

The United States are the most successful nation in the mixed teams tournament having made the final on eight previous occasions, winning three of them.

Serbia and Montenegro were locked at one-all with top seeds Russia in the final tie late on Thursday but neither could reach the final.

Russia’s Svetlana Kuzntesova had won the opening tie against Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-4 while Serb Novak Djokovic had levelled with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Yuri Schukin.

Results:

Group B

Australia bt Argentina 2-1

Women’s singles: Samantha Stosur (AUS) bt Giesela Dulko (ARG) 7-5, 6-7 (7/3), 6-3

Men’s singles: Gaston Gaudio (ARG) bt Todd Reid (AUS) 6-0, 6-3

Mixed doubles: Reid/Stosur bt Gaudio/Dulko 7-5, 6-3

Netherlands bt Germany 3-0

Women’s singles: Michaella Krajicek (NED) bt Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)

Men’s singles: Peter Wessels (NED) bt Nicolas Kiefer (GER) 6-0, 6-0 (walkover)

Mixed doubles: Wessels/Krajicek bt Kiefer/Groenefeld 6-0, 6-0 (walkover)

Venus downs Sania

HONG KONG: Wimbledon champion Venus Williams overcame an injury scare to down Indian sensation Sania Mirza 6-3, 6-3 in the Champions Challenge on Thursday.

The five-time Grand Slam winner was struggling at a break down in the first set before leaving the court for 11 minutes of treatment to her left hip.

But Williams, who had not played since pulling out of the China Open in September with a knee injury, broke the teenager three times in a row on her return.

The injury came at the worst possible time for Sania, 19, who had capitalised on some erratic serving to break Williams in the first game at the exhibition tournament.

But with the Indian 3-2 up and eyeing a one-set lead, Williams called for the trainer and disappeared off-court clutching a handbag. Apparently rejuvenated by her break, Williams immediately broke twice before serving out at 6-3.

Sania, the first Indian woman to win a WTA tour event, went another break down at the start of the second before breaking back for 2-2 as Williams double-faulted.

The Indian world number 34, buoyed by strong local support, found another break but could not hold her own serve, double-faulting and putting a backhand pass wide to go 4-3 down.

Serving to stay in the match, she was broken again as Williams converted her third match point.

It was Williams’ second win over Sania in two meetings after her 6-3, 6-2 victory in Stanford, California, last year.

The 25-year-old, who saw younger sister Serena beaten in straight sets on Tuesday, said she was keen to get the mystery injury checked out before the Australian Open later this month.

Result: Venus Williams (USA) bt Sania Mirza (IND) 6-3, 6-3; Kim Clijsters (BEL) bt Zheng Jie (CHN) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2

Federer keeps cool

DOHA: Roger Federer showed rare glimpses of irritation as he struggled to get past Fabrice Santoro, perhaps the tour’s most unorthodox player, in the second round of the Qatar Open here on Wednesday.

The world champion with the glass-fibre temperament found the Frenchman’s unique double-handed style and crafty mix of tactics so effective that he never once broke serve throughout a 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5) success.

Federer’s skilful power was often still awesome, but he twice missed kills from inside the service line and once appeared to tell some of the crowd to be quiet.

There were also moments of unfamiliar frowning amidst the characteristic skill and grace although afterwards Federer denied that the mental battle had been a problem.

Federer next plays Marcos Baghdatis, the first player from Cyprus ever to make the main tour, who scored a career-best win against Feliciano Lopez, the eighth-seeded Spaniard winning 6-1, 3-6, 7-5

Lopez was the fifth of the tournament’s eight seeds to go out.

Second round results: Tommy Haas (GER) bt Tim Henman (GBR) 6-2, 7-6 (7/5); Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) bt Robin Vik (CZE) 6-3 6-4; Roger Federer (SUI) bt Fabrice Santoro (FRA) 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5); Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-1, 3-6, 7-5; Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) bt Davide Sanguinetti (ITA) 6-2, 6-3; Dmitri Tursonov (RUS) bt Younes El Aynaoui (MAR) 7-6 (7/1), 6-2; Gael Monfils (FRA) bt Wesley Moodie (RSA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4; Filippo Volandri (ITA) bt Potito Starace (ITA) 6-4 6-3.

Thursday quarterfinal results: Roger Federer (Switzerland) bt Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) 6-4 6-3; Tommy Haas (Germany) bt Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) 6-4 6-3.—Agencies