The Hopman Cup is an official mixed team competition of the ITF that takes place in Perth, Australia. 8 teams, consisting of one male player and one female player take part in the tournament. Teams are separated into two groups of four and face-off against each of the other three teams in their group in a round-robin format. The top team in each group then meet in a final to decide the champions.
This year a Bulgarian team also takes part in the competition. Just the participation of Tsvetana Pironkova and Grigor Dimitrov in the prestigious international tournament is a success itself. Teams from the US, Australia, the Czech Republic, Spain, France, and world-renowned players like Caroline Wozniacki and Petra Kvitova compete at the forum. Tsvetana Pironkova actually had to face both Kvitova and Wozniacki. Pironkova demonstrated her class but lost in 3 sets both matches. Among the men Grigor Dimitrov showed the performance expected form a renowned young talent. Dimitrov lost against Tomas Berdych, but the Czech later admitted the match was very difficult for him and that the Bulgarian could surprise any opponent. Dimitrov then won against Frederik Nielsen from Denmark. In the next team match Pironkova and Dimitrov were unstoppable and won 10:1 in the tie-break. Keeping in mind that the Bulgarians won against Kvitova and Berdych, one can say Bulgaria has a perfect team for the Olympic Games in London in 2012. Before that, however, it has to face the US team at Hopman Cup. Pironkova and Dimitrov still have the chance to top the chart in the group but only after a victory against the Americans and a loss of the Czech team against Denmark. It is all possible but whatever happens the two young Bulgarian tennis players have already achieved a great success at Hopman Cup. If Bulgaria managed to reach the final it would face France. Of course, we can only wish good luck to Pironkova and Dimitrov.
English: Alexander Markov
