Safin's bloody good show and the slovaks win hopman cup

Arriving in perth, bruised and battered didn't stop Safin in reaching the final i hopman cup.

the russian teamed up with his sister Dinara Safina currently world no.3 and ended runner ups of the tournament.

Dominika Cibulkova and Dominik Hrbaty led Slovakia to the Hopman Cup title Friday with singles victories over Russian siblings Dinara Safina and Marat Safin.

Cibulkova beat Safina 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-4 Friday to give Slovakia a 1-0 lead and hand Safina her first singles loss of the tournament. Hrbaty then beat Safin, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-6 (3) to clinch the championship before about 8,000 people at the Burswood Dome.

Each team had 3-0 records going into the final and led its group in round-robin play of the mixed teams event.

It was Slovakia’s third title in the 21-year history of the Hopman Cup. Hrbaty also won in 2005, with Daniela Hantuchova.

Safina gave away three set points in the 10th game of the opening set.

Trailing 5-1 in the deciding set, she won the next three games, but Cibulkova held her serve in the final game to take the match. It was the Slovakian’s first win over Safina in three career matches.

“I was up 5-1 and suddenly it was 5-4, then she had a break point so I was really fighting,” Cibulkova said. “I’m just so happy I beat her. I had to play aggressive.”

Safin, who was unusually subdued during his group matches, displayed his typical volatility in the final, smashing a racket in the first set.

The 28-year-old, who has said he will retire at the end of 2009, also entertained the crowd. During a tense moment in the third set, with Hrbaty struggling to hold serve, Safin gave the net judge a kiss on the cheek after his wayward forehand hit her in the body.

Russian former world number one Marat Safin believes little sister Dinara Safina is poised for a breakthrough Grand Slam win at the upcoming Australian Open.

The fiery siblings teamed up on the court for the first time at the mixed teams Hopman Cup here this week, reaching the final only to lose to Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova and Dominik Hrbaty.

Despite her surprise loss to Cibulkova on Friday, Safin, who won the Australian Open title in 2005, said his sister was ready to lift the women's title and also become world number one.

"I think she is ready," he said. "She had a tough match, Cibulkova played incredible tennis.

"It is going to be a different story in Australian Open. There are going to be a lot of nerves, she's not defending anything because she lost first round last year, but she has a huge chance.

"She has a big chance to get closer to number one and I think she is looking for this and she is ready to be there."

Meanwhile Safin, who arrived with two black eyes from a fist fight in Moscow, was also confident about his final season before retirement after showing great form in his wins against Simone Bolelli and Lu Yen-Hsun.

"I am happy with how I am playing and I ready to go to Melbourne," said the world number 29.

"I am quite confident, the way I am playing after two months without touching a racquet, it is not bad tennis I am showing."