Perth, Jan 2 (IANS) India must not only beat the Czech Republic but also hope hosts Australia can blank the formidable US to have an outside chance of getting into the Hopman Cup final Friday.
The final round of matches of Group B of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) mixed team event will be played Thursday at the Burswood Dome here.
The hosts can also make it to the final if they sweep the United States and the Indians are beaten.
“I think it was very important for us to win (against Australia) – we can still qualify,” said Indian player Sania Mirza. “Hopefully, we will play well against the Czechs – we beat them last year. We didn’t have a great start the other day, but we are playing well now.”
The mixed doubles win of the Mirza-Bopanna duo Wednesday against Australia’s Alicia Molik and Peter Luczak was the Indian pair’s fifth in as many outings here. They duo has never lost a Hopman Cup doubles match.
The United States head Group B with two wins out of two, but both Australia and India can still qualify for Friday’s final.
If Australia beat the US, and India beat the Czech Republic, it would leave all three teams on two wins out of three. The group winner will then be decided on matches won. If that is also equal, then it will boil down to the number of sets and then if it is same again, it will come down to games won.