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PERTH - India stepped closer to a final appearance on their Hopman Cup tennis debut after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Croatia last night.
Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna made it two wins out of two after clinching the decisive mixed doubles rubber on a tie-break, winning 3-6
6-3 7-6 in 75 minutes against the Croatian pairing of Sanja and Mario Ancic.
India, who booked their place in the event by winning the inaugural Asian Hopman Cup in November, finally prevailed when Mario Ancic netted a volley to send the watching supporters into raptures at the Burswood Dome.
"We played well but it could have gone either way," Mirza said in a courtside interview.
"We're the underdogs (in tonight's clash against Spain), I'll continue to say it because it seems to be working."
The win moved India into pole position in Group B ahead of Spain and the Czech Republic on one win each with the winless Croatians unable to qualify for Friday's final.
Mirza had given India the advantage with a ruthless 6-2 6-3 disposal of Sanja Ancic before big brother and world No 9 Mario recorded a hard-fought 7-6 7-6 win over Bopanna, who lies 268 places lower down the rankings.
The match had no service breaks serve with Bopanna edging Ancic on the ace count 16-13. The Croatian kept his cool in the tie-breaks to set up the mixed doubles finale.
World No 66 Mirza had hit the ground running, breaking 18-year-old Ancic in the opening game and wrapping up the first set in just 27 minutes.
The 20-year-old Indian created the better angles from the back of the court and her superior movement helped her break crucially in the eighth game of the second before serving out for the victory in 63 minutes.
Earlier, Tomas Berdych and Lucie Safarova threw the Czech Republic a lifeline with victory over the Spanish, who had beaten Croatia 3-0 in their opening match.
Safarova claimed a gruelling three-set win over Anabel Medina Garrigues before the 21-year-old Berdych trumped world No 7 Tommy Robredo 7-5 6-1 to give the Czechs their first win.
Spain recovered to win the mixed doubles rubber 7-5 6-2 in 76 minutes to narrow the margin of defeat in a result that could prove crucial when the group is decided on countback on Thursday.
Berdych, world ranked 13, overpowered Robredo from the back of the court, breaking in the 12th game of the opener before racing into a 5-0 lead in the second and then completing victory in an hour and 18 minutes.
Safarova gave the Czechs the lead after a compelling three-set win over Medina Garrigues. The world number 42 prevailed 4-6 6-4 6-4 in two hours and 21 minutes in the longest match of the tournament so far.
Spain play India, and the Czech Republic take on Croatia in the final round on Thursday when Group A is also resolved with hosts Australia facing the United States and Russia taking on France.
- REUTERS