Ferrreira leads South Africa into final

WAYNE FERREIRA guided South Africa into the final of the Hopman Cup by playing a major part in both their victories in their 2-1 victory over Romania in Perth yesterday.

The World number 10 levelled the tie with a 7-6 7-6 victory over Adrian Voinea and then combined with Amanda Coetzer to win the doubles.

Romania, who needed to win the tie to stay in the eight team tournament, were given a glimmer of hope when World number 11 Irina Spirlea beat Amanda Coetzer 5-7 6-4 6-1.

But there was no stopping South Africa as the third seeds maintained their unbeaten run to earn a place in the final against the United States today.

They have certainly ridden their luck, for South Africa can credit their first Hopman Cup final berth in five attempts to Switzerland's Marc Rosset, who retired when leading Ferreira 6-0 2-1 on Wednesday.

The second seeded Swiss were then forced to default the doubles to give South Africa an unlikely 2-1 victory.

Rosset showed no signs of the back problems which forced him to concede his opening two singles ties in the tournament when he beat Germany's Bernd Karbacher in straight sets in the other Group B tie yesterday.

World number 6 Martina Hingis recorded her third consecutive straight sets victory in the tournament when she brushed aside Petra Begerow 6-1 6-1 in just 47 minutes.

The Swiss pair combined to win the doubles in straight sets to take the tie 3-0.

. Australia's Todd Woodbridge, became the only seeded player to reach the Australian Harcourt Championship semi finals yesterday when he defeated American fifth seed Alex O'Brien 6-4 6-4.

The fourth seed now meets Sweden's Mikael Tillstrom, who beat Andrei Cherkasov of Russia 6-2 6-4.

Woodbridge, better known as a doubles player, trailed 1-4 in the second set, but won the next five games to set up his first last four.

Australian wildcard entrant Scott Draper plays American Jeff Tarango in the other semi final.

Draper beat Slovakia's Karol Kuccra in straight sets, while Tarango was pressed by Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden before taking the third set tie break 17-15.