Hopman Cup: Federer sweeps past Khachanov 6-3, 7-6

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Staying with tennis we head over to Australia where Roger Federer was leading the charge for the Swiss team when they took on Russia in the Hopman cup. The 19-time Grand Slam Champ is gearing up for the defence of his Australian Open title later this month, and would get a real test against the young Russian in front of a record crowd at the Perth Arena.

That's Khachanov serving after breaking Federer's first service game, but the Swiss would soon get it back as he drills a forehand winner and later wins the first set 6-3.

Feds broke the Russian early in the second and that forehand down the line gives him a 3-1 lead.

But the free swinging Khachanov would battle back to force a tiebreaker that Roger now leads 9-8. The Russian's forehand will be called out, but as you can tell from Federer's reaction, it's a near thing. The review shows it was indeed out by a whisker and Federer gives Switzerland a 1-0 lead in the tie.

Hoping to get Russia back on level terms is the pink clad Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, serving to Belinda Bencic. But it's the young Swiss who takes the first set 6-1.

Pavlyuchenkova clawed back to win the second 6-3, but Bencic claims the third by the same score and the 20 year old's 20th straight win gives the Swiss a 2-0 lead that renders the doubles meaningless.

But that doesn't mean they wouldn't play it and there is another close call on match point and Federer's serve on the tee. A nice light moment for Roger, but it's easier when you're on top. And the review would confirm that he did catch the line giving him and Bencic a 4-3, 3-4, 4-1 win for their second straight 3-0 victory that sets up a semi-final showdown with the US.