Lucie Safarova scored two wins - one in the women's singles, another in the mixed doubles - to give the Czech Republic a 2-1 victory over Canada on the opening day of the Hopman Cup on Sunday. Safarova defeated Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard 6-0, 6-4 in 70 minutes to give the Czechs an early 1-0 lead, then teamed with Adam Pavlasek to beat Bouchard and Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 6-2 in the mixed doubles decider. Pospisil got the Canadians' only point with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over Pavlasek in the men's singles. Seventh-ranked Bouchard, coming off a breakthrough season that saw her reach the final at Wimbledon and two other Grand Slam semifinals, was no match for the No. 16-ranked Safarova in the tournament opener at Perth. ''I was going for all my shots, and it worked well,'' she said. ''I tried to keep the pressure on, quickly. When she has time, she takes control.'' Australia was scheduled to play Poland in the night session Sunday at the Hopman Cup, a tune-up event for the Australian Open. On Monday, Serena Williams is set to play her first match for the United States against Italy, while Andy Murray leads Britain against France. Williams said the high temperature of 41 Celsius (106 Fahrenheit) forecast for Monday would suit her just fine as preparation for the frequently scorching conditions at the Australian Open in two weeks. ''If anything it's going to help me for Melbourne,'' Williams said Sunday. ''Perth is one of the hottest places I've ever played, so it will be really good for the preparation in Melbourne, which is always super-hot.'' The Perth Arena roof will be shut during Williams' match against Italian Flavia Pennetta if the heat policy is enforced, or both players agree the conditions are unsafe. At the Brisbane International, another of the Australian Open series warm-up events ahead of the Jan. 19 start of the first Grand Slam of the year, Ajla Tomljanovic beat sixth-seeded and former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 7-6 (6), 6-0. Tomljanovic, who was born in Croatia but now based in Brisbane, is planning to apply for Australian citizenship in the next few months. In other matches, seven-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain beat Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 and Kaia Kanepi of Estonia upset fifth-seeded Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. Maria Sharapova is the top seed in the women's tournament, while Roger Federer headlines the field in the men's draw, alongside defending champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia. (For more sports news andupdates, followAhramOnlineSports on Twitter at@AO_Sportsand onFacebookatAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/119442.aspx
