After starting the campaign on a winning note, the Swiss contingent, comprising Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic, will be eager to continue their winning run against the US team. Federer will play Frances Tiafoe while Bencic will go up against Serena Williams.
Watch & bet on Roger Federer v Frances Tiafoe live in the Hopman Cup with bet365 here* on Tuesday, January 1. The match begins at 5:30 pm local time (GMT +8).
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Federer v Tiafoe Head to Head
Since turning pro in 2015, Tiafoe has met Federer thrice on the ATP circuit. All of those three matches were played in 2017 and the Swiss won on all the occasions. Their most recent encounter took place in Basel where Federer won comfortably in straight sets.
Tiafoe’s Entry into the Top 50
2018 was a landmark year for the 20-year-old American, who broke into the top 50 after a decent spell. He also won his first singles title of his career – the Delray Beach Open where he defeated the likes of Hyeon Chung and Juan Martin Del Potro. He had some success in Estoril as well, where he made it to the final before succumbing to Joao Sousa.
At the same time, however, the lack of consistency is one aspect that the young American needs to improve. Following his run in Portugal, he lost in the early rounds of all the subsequent tournaments he played in. Nonetheless, his form has improved massively since 2017 and we can expect great things from him in the coming season as well.
Federer’s Bid for Third Hopman Cup Title
Federer has taken Switzerland to two Hopman Cup victories already – once in 2001 with Martina Hingis and the other time in 2018, with Belinda Bencic.
He ended the last season with 48 wins and 10 losses, along with four singles titles. He successfully defended his Australian Open title and moved on to win later in Rotterdam, Stuttgart, and Basel. The Swiss was also a semifinalist at the Shanghai Masters, Paris Masters, and ATP Finals.
At 37 years old, Federer is still going strong driven largely by his love and passion for tennis. With time, he has had to adjust his game and needless to mention, it has done wonders for him.
Tiafoe vs. Federer – Who will win?
He is definitely going to start this match against Tiafoe as the favorite to win. However, it is worth noting that in the first round of the 2017 US Open, Tiafoe took Federer to five sets before finally bowing to the Swiss. Since then, the American has improved massively and Federer will need to keep a sharp eye on him.
You can watch Roger Federer v Frances Tiafoe live in the Hopman Cup on bet365. It will be played on Tuesday, January 1 at 5:30 pm local time (GMT +8).
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