Spain upset Serbia 2-1 to win their fourth Hopman Cup in an emotional final which finished in the early hours yesterday.
The Spanish pairing of Fernando Verdasco and Anabel Medina Garrigues were underdogs against the top-seeded glamour Serbian pairing of Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic.
However, the Spaniards came from behind to clinch the title in the deciding mixed doubles rubber.
The Spanish pair’s massive edge in doubles experience came to the fore as they won in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, to deny Serbia their first title.
Verdasco and Medina Garrigues were particularly effective in capitalising on Ivanovic’s shaky play at the net and even though Djokovic tried desperately to lift his team-mate his efforts were in vain.
It was a third near miss for the Serbian pair in Perth, who played together at the event in 2006 and 2011.
At their first appearance, representing Serbia and Montenegro they missed the final on a countback of sets won during the week, and in 2011 they qualified for the final but were then forced out by an abdominal injury to Ivanovic.