PERTH — Bernard Tomic defeated top-ranked Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4 to earn the best win of his career but Australia lost to Serbia 2-1 at the Hopman Cup Wednesday. Ana Ivanovic evened the round-robin tie by overwhelming Australian 16-year-old Ashleigh Barty 6-2, 6-3. Barty made a positive start, but once Ivanovic made the first break to lead 4-2 she took almost total control. The Serbians then combined to win the mixed doubles 6-4, 6-7 (8), 10-6. Tomic put Djokovic under pressure right from the start, holding five break points in the opening game. Djokovic survived that threat and held a break point of his own to lead 5-3 but netted a backhand. Tomic then broke serve in the next game with a crosscourt forehand winner and served out the set. He kept up the pressure in the second set, failing to convert a break point to lead 4-3 but won his sixth break point at 5-4 which left him serving for the match, and his first win over Djokovic in four tries. Playing in front of more than 13,000 in the sold-out Perth Arena, Tomic admitted to feeling nervous at the start. Earlier, Italy came from behind to beat Germany 2-1. Francesca Schiavone staged a fightback to defeat Tatjana Malek 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 and level the tie for Italy after Tommy Haas resisted a solid challenge and defeated Andreas Seppi 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7). Italy then won the doubles 6-4, 7-5. On Thursday, the US team of John Isner and Venus Williams plays the Spanish pairing of Fernando Verdasco and Anabel Medina Garrigues for a place in Saturday's final. Australia also face Italy. — Agencies
