Hopman Cup Names Some of the 2011 Participants

Justine Henin is one of only a few top names never to have played the Hyundai Hopman Cup, but that is about to change after she signed up to join a star-studded cast for the 2011 event which begins on New Years Day.

She will partner Steve Darcis, and they are in a field that includes John Isner, who returns to partner former champion Serena Williams for the United States. Novak Djokovic considered the tournament to be an ideal preparation for the Australian Open and he is back for Serbia, partnering Ana Ivanovic who last played the event in 2006.

Other players so far confirmed are the French team of Gael Monfils who will play with 2009 junior world No.1 Kristina Mladenovic, and Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt who is waiting for a partner.

Notable by their absence, so far, is the British team of Andy Murray and Laura Robson. The pair reached the final last year, with Robson performing with distinction and Murray then going on to reach the final of the Australian Open.

The tournament has also announced a new television partner after ABC declined to renew their contract. The TEN Network will feature a daily session on its acclaimed Sports Channel One HD, and that will be complemented by 20 hours of national coverage on the TEN Network.