29 December 2018, by AAP
Bali news and views editor's comments:
Bali news and views editor's comments:
My wife Azizah and I were very fortunate to have an opportunity to witness the start of the 2018 Hoffman cup tennis tournament last night held in Perth Australia.
Top-ranked Australian Ash Barty, who I believe is ranked 15th. in the world, made quick work when she beat the French opponent who was ranked in the 50's.
Unfortunately we were too tired to wait for the second match after moving from one home exchange to another earlier that day to stay and witness Australian Matt Ebden come back from a first set loss to Pouille to beat the French national to win.
Congratulations the Ozzie's.
We hope you have an opportunity to come down to the finals and meet somebody like Roger Federer or Serena Williams.
The main reason I came to this tournament is to see Roger Federer who is arguably the best tennis player that ever lived.
Three times before in three major grand slam tennis tournaments including London, Paris, and Melbourne he failed to make it to the semi finals and therefore the only tickets that I had purchased.
So he is the only one ranked in the top four that I have not seen live.
Tonight my bucket list dream comes true as Roger will represent Switzerland. I can't wait.
Don't forget As we enter a new year tomorrow evening dreams do come true as soon as you conceive them, believe them and achieve them, according to famous author, Napoleon Hill.
Matt Ebden celebrates victory over Lucas Pouille; Getty Images
Australia has claimed their opening tie of the Hopman Cup against France, after a perfect start from Ash Barty and a come-from-behind victory from Matt Ebden.
Playing in front of his home crowd at RAC Arena, Ebden shrugged off a 6-3 opening set loss in just 30 minutes to beat Lucas Pouille 3-6 7-6 (5) 6-2.
Ebden, ranked world No.46, scrapped to stay on serve in the second set and then jumped to a 5-0 lead in the tie-break.
While Pouille managed to recover to trail 5-6, he was unable to reel in Ebden’s lead.
Ebden carried his momentum into the third set and outplayed the Frenchman, who is ranked world No.32 but was as high as 10 earlier in the 2018 season.
The West Australian says he took a while to get into his groove.
“There wasn’t much rhythm until the second set, late. Lucas was playing fast; a lot of power in his serve,” Ebden said.
“I was trying to do the same; be a little more aggressive, a little bit forward to the net and that worked out in the second and the third (sets) luckily.
Earlier, Barty’s 7-5 6-3 win over Alize Cornet got the hosts off to a perfect start.
Barty, the world No.15, survived two break points in an early service game before breaking Cornet’s serve to take a 4-1 lead.
She broke a second time to claim the opening set in 50 minutes.
Cornet, who won the mixed-teams tournament with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2014, was under pressure throughout the second set from the 22-year-old Australian.
Barty said after the win that the tough hit out was just what she needed.
“It’s always an extremely tough match, which is a little bit perfect in a sense. I knew I had to be ready; I had to hit one million balls,” she said.
“There is a little bit of polish coming and with a couple of matches that will come.
“But I’m very happy tonight.”
Barty admitted to having too many unforced errors for her liking, but said she expected that to improve as she hit the more balls during the week.
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29 DECEMBER 2018
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