Switzerland win Hopman Cup

World number one Martina Hingis broke her jinx and won the Hopman Cup at the fourth attempt as top seeds Switzerland beat the United States 2-1 in Perth on Saturday.

She and partner Roger Federer won their singles rubbers as Switzerland bagged the mixed team title and the A$1 million (378,000 pounds) purse that came with it.

Hingis, 20, showed why she is favourite for the Australian Open with another impressive display in beating world No. 4 and new doubles partner Monica Seles 7-5, 6-4 in the women's singles rubber.

Switzerland, who won the Hopman Cup for the first time in 1992, were assured of another victory when Federer, the 19-year-old rising star, proved too strong for Jan-Michael Gambill and won 6-4, 6-3.

That gave Switzerland an unassailable 2-0 lead in the best-of-three rubber. The United States regained some pride with a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) win in the mixed doubles.

It was the fourth time that Hingis had appeared at the Hopman Cup after she had failed on the previous three occasions in 1995, 1996 and 1999.