U.S., Belgium in Hopman Cup final

Published Jan. 7, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Bethanie Mattek-Sands beat Britain's Laura Robson 6-4, 6-2 on Friday to secure the win the United States needed to reach Saturday's Hopman Cup final.

The U.S. team of Mattek-Sands and John Isner will meet Belgium, which advanced after Serbia had to withdraw from the tournament because of an injury to Ana Ivanovic.

Ivanovic told a news conference that she will miss next week's Sydney International but hopes to be fit for the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 17.

Isner lost to Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2 in the second singles match on Friday as the No. 4-ranked Briton produced his most assured performance of the week.

The U.S won the tie 2-1 when Britain forfeited the doubles.

Mattek-Sands' power and consistency proved too much for the 16-year-old Robson, who received treatment for tightness in her right thigh on a day dominated by injuries.

Earlier, Italy's No. 7-ranked Francesca Schiavone had to retire from her match against France's Kristina Mladenovic with a groin problem.

France won the tie 3-0 when Nicolas Mahut beat Potito Starace 6-3, 7-6 (2) and Italy forfeited the doubles because of Schiavone's injury.

That left the U.S. needing to win only one rubber in its tie against already-eliminated Britain and Mattek-Sands delivered it with her third singles win of the week.

After both the day's scheduled doubles matches were canceled, the U.S. took on France in an exhibition set. Mahut took to the court in a white dress, pink hairband, and knee-length socks, to the delight of the 7,508 spectators.

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