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PERTH - Alicia Molik and Meghann Shaughnessy inspired Australia and the United States to victories on the opening day of the Hopman Cup on Saturday.
Molik won both her matches as hosts Australia upset third seeds Czech Republic 2-1 while Shaughnessy, a temporary substitute for Serena Williams, beat Sania Mirza as the US eased past India by the same scoreline.
Home favourite Molik made an excellent start to what she hopes will be a comeback year by beating Lucie Safarova 7-5 6-2 to put Australia ahead in their Group A match.
The 27-year-old, who reached a career-high ranking of eighth in 2005 before an inner ear infection kept her out for six months, won four straight games from 5-5 to take the first set and lead 2-0 in the second.
The Australian hit 13 aces and world number 23 Safarova had no answer as Molik eased through the second set for victory.
"I couldn't have asked too much more of myself today," Molik said.
"I feel like I have prepared very well. I finished the season really well and the last couple of months, things have started clicking together."
World number 79 Peter Luczak had a set point in the opening-set tiebreak before going down 7-6 6-4 to Tomas Berdych, ranked 65 places above him.
But the 18-year-old Luczak then joined with Molik to beat the boyfriend-girlfriend pairing of Berdych and Safarova 7-5 6-3 to clinch victory.
"It was awesome fun playing with Alicia," Luczak said. "She just told me to keep moving at the net and it worked."
Earlier, Shaughnessy proved a more than capable stand-in for world number seven Williams, who is due to arrive in Perth in time for her nation's second match in the eight-nation mixed-team tournament, against the Czechs on Monday.
World number 52 Shaughnessy took advantage of an erratic Mirza as she moved ahead by a set and 2-0.
However, Mirza hit back to level and then took command at 3-1 in the decider only to falter when it mattered, perhaps hindered by a touch of cramp, losing the last five games to hand Shaughnessy the win 6-3 4-6 6-3.
"I got the call a couple of days ago," said Shaughnessy, who left within minutes of the doubles to catch a flight to Australia's Gold Coast, where she is due to play in the WTA event, starting on Sunday.
"I sort of feel like I've got a couple of matches under my belt already, just from that one match. It's great preparation."
Mardy Fish then breezed past world number 267 Rohan Bopanna 6-2 6-4 before the Indians won the doubles 6-4 6-4.
Top seeds Serbia, represented by Novak Djokovic and Jelena Jankovic, begin their campaign in Group B on Sunday against Taiwan.
France and Argentina, who also play on Sunday, complete the Group B line-up, with the winners of each group going through to the final.
- REUTERS
