Blake defeats Hewitt; U.S. edges Australia 2-1 in Hopman Cup

PERTH, Australia -- James Blake defeated Australian Lleyton Hewitt and then teamed with Meghann Shaughnessy to win the mixed doubles match as the United States beat Australia 2-1 at the Hopman Cup on Thursday.

Casey Dellacqua beat Shaughnessy 6-3, 6-4 and Blake beat Hewitt 6-2, 6-2 in a match in which Hewitt was bothered by an ear infection.

Shaughnessy and Blake defeated Dellacqua and Hewitt 6-3, 5-7, 10-6 (match tiebreak) in mixed doubles, with Hewitt double-faulting on match point.

"It was not the Lleyton Hewitt of old, he was not at his best," Blake said of the Australian, who is making his return after a five-month layoff due to a hip injury and surgery. "I hope he's healthy for the Australian Open."

Slovakia advanced to the Hopman Cup final after Dominika Cibulkova and Dominik Hrbaty won their singles matches -- Hrbaty after Germany's Nicolas Kiefer had to retire with a serious ankle injury.

After Cibulkova beat Sabine Lisicki of Germany 7-6 (3), 6-4, Hrbaty was trailing 3-1 in the opening set. Kiefer was serving and one point away from taking a 4-1 lead when the German player turned his right ankle.

Unable to continue, Kiefer, 31, had his ankle heavily taped and was taken off the court in a wheelchair, his status uncertain for the Australian Open which begins Jan. 19.

The win gave Slovakia a 2-0 lead and a place in Friday's final.

Russia played France and Italy took on Taiwan in two Group B night matches, with the Russia-France match to decide Slovakia's opponent in the final.

Dellacqua, who lost her two opening singles matches, won six of the last seven games of the match to beat Shaughnessy.

"The last few matches I haven't come out with a win but I feel like I'm finally starting to hit the ball better," Dellacqua said. "It's given me a little bit more confidence for the next few weeks leading up to the Australian Open."