Hopman Cup: Australia's Daria Gavrilova and Thanasi Kokkinakis lose to Belgium
Updated
Photo:
Daria Gavrilova is beaten at the baseline in her loss to Elise Mertens. (AAP: Tony McDonough)
Australia's Daria Gavrilova and Thanasi Kokkinakis can still reach the final of this year's Hopman Cup tournament in Perth, despite losing their tie 3-0 against Belgium last night.
World number seven David Goffin, continued his impressive recent form to beat Kokkinakis 6-4, 6-2 in the men's singles rubber.
He broke the serve of the popular Australian early in each set and then clinically went about defending those leads.
Elise Mertens, the world number 36, fought back from a set down to beat the 25th-ranked Gavrilova 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the women's singles.
Gavrilova was unable to maintain the control that she had in an impressive opening set, which she won in just 27 minutes, and started to struggle with her serve.
She admitted she felt she became too defensive after winning the opening set.
"I started really well and I feel that she stepped up a lot and started making a lot more balls," Gavrilova said.
"I think I gave up a lot of court and didn't stick to my plan. I was just starting to play very defensive.
"I was just chasing balls and went away from what I was doing in the first set."
Gavrilova said that she had to quickly forget about her loss to Mertens as she continued through her preparation for the Australian Open.
She has made it to the round of 16 in each of the past two years at the year's first major.
"I have to look ahead and not so much at what happened today," she said.
"I have a pretty good preseason, worked hard. But playing competitive matches is something different. It's very mental."
Belgium also took out the mixed doubles rubber.
A victory for Australia against the formidable German team of Alexander Zverev and Angelique Kerber on Friday night could yet earn the hosts a chance of winning their third tournament title.
If Germany prevails however, it will go through to Saturday's final as the unbeaten winners of Group A.
A win for Gavrilova and Kokkinakis will have them looking to the number of sets won over the week to see if they, Germany, or Belgium (if they can beat Canada on Friday) will qualify for the tournament decider.
AAP
Topics: tennis, sport, perth-6000
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