Russia to face Slovakia in final

Russia spared Hopman Cup organisers from consulting their calculators yesterday by downing France 2-1 and booking a place in the Perth final against Slovakia.

Defeat for Russia would have meant they, along with France and Italy, would have each won two of their three round-robin Group B ties.

The scenario would have left organisers to select the finalist based on a complicated breakdown of which nation won more matches, sets and games.

After splitting the singles matches with France, Dinara Safina and her brother Marat Safin ensured they controlled their own fate by overpowering Alize Cornet and Gilles Simon 6-4 6-3 in the deciding doubles.

It gave Russia a 3-0 record in the round-robin stage of the mixed team event.

Italy had kept alive their hopes of reaching the final when they benefitted from two walkovers to rout Taiwan 3-0 earlier in the day but Russia's win put them and France out of the running.

Germany's Nicolas Kiefer had his Australian Open preparations thrown into disarray after injuring his ankle during his clash against Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty.

The 31-year-old German was leading 3-1 in the first set of the mixed teams round-robin event when he twisted his ankle and was taken off the court in a wheelchair, gifting the tie to Slovakia.

Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova had earlier beaten Sabine Lisicki 7-6 6-4 in the women's singles.

Slovakia were awarded the mixed doubles tie on a walkover.

In the other Group A match yesterday, James Blake and Meghann Shaughnessy combined to beat Australia 2-1 and consign the hosts to the bottom of the group.

Qatar Open (quarter-finals): Roddick vs Hanescu 6-3 6-2; Nadal vs Monfils 4-6 4-6; Federer vs Kohlschreiber 6-2 7-6; Murray vs Stakhovsky 6-4 6-2.