Thanasi Kokkinakis can start campaign on the front foot

Day two
2am Sunday

Australia begin their tilt at lifting a second Hopman Cup in three years and while Canada's Vasek Pospisil merits respect, it will be a surprise if the home nation's Thanasi Kokkinakis comes up short in their singles clash.

He has such a strong all-round game that Pospisil, even if he is back to anywhere near his best, could struggle to live with his opponent.
Kokkinakis is 8-11 to win his singles outing, while Daria Gavrilova is likely to defeat Eugenie Bouchard in the women’s clash.

It was chaos in the grandly-titled Mubadala World Championship on Friday as Novak Djokovic followed Rafael Nadal in pulling out of the exhibition event and was replaced by Andy Murray, who had been practising at the Abu Dhabi venue.

More tennis

Hopman Cup tournament preview

2018 season preview

The final will be between US Open runner-up Kevin Anderson and Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat Murray when the Scot retired after losing the first set.

Serena Williams is due to play French Open Jelena Ostapenko in the American's first match since having a baby daughter in early September.

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