PERTH, Australia -- The United States' hopes of winning a third consecutive Hopman Cup were left hanging by a thread on Thursday after they suffered a surprising defeat at the hands of Slovakia.
Daniela Hantuchova beat Meghann Shaughnessy 6-4, 6-2 and Dominik Hrbaty held off James Blake 7-6, 6-4 to give the Slovaks an unassailable 2-0 lead and a small measure of revenge for their defeat by the Americans in last year's final.
With one win and one defeat from their respective Group B matches, the U.S., Slovakia and the Netherlands can all still qualify for Saturday's final.
The group scenario was complicated, however, by the withdrawal of Mark Philippoussis because of an adductor injury, costing the Australian team any chance of qualifying.
World No. 324 Paul Baccanello will replace Philippoussis, but Australia's results in its final match against the USA will not count for itself, though it will count for the Americans.
Hantuchova, who has slipped from her career-high ranking of fifth to 31st, produced a confident performance to see off Shaughnessy.
After trading breaks in the seventh and eighth games, Hantuchova clinched the vital break in the ninth game and after taking the opening set, she ran away with the second to earn victory in 69 minutes.
Hrbaty, who beat Philippoussis in his opening match on Monday, then fought off a tough challenge from Blake to give the Slovaks a surprise win.
"I didn't expect this, I already had my plane booked for Friday," Hrbaty said. "I knew it would be a tough match against James today and it was but I played really well and now we have a chance of making the final."
Later on Thursday, attention turns to Group A where Argentina and Germany meet in a match that will decide the group winner.
Russia and Italy, both already eliminated from the event, play each other in the other group game.
