Hopman Cup: Federer topples Sock 7-6, 7-5

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More tennis, and this from Down Under, as Roger Federer continues to play well in the start to the season. The World number two has Switzerland on the verge of a berth in the final of the Hopman Cup. And a win by Feds over American, Jack Sock, a player he has never lost to, would help the Swiss take a step to their first final appearance in the mixed-team event since 2001.

Pick things up in the fourth game of the opener, and Federer in the near court returning serve, and the Artful Roger shows off some impressive skill as he retrieves a drop shot and lands it for a winner, much to Sock's disbelief.

The American was able to be Feds equal in the opening set, and he also proves his worth, getting to this drop shot and firing it for a winner. We are on serve.

The opener would need a tiebreak, and the 19-time grand slam winner, leading 7-6 in the extra session, and has Sock running all around the court, and that allows, the Swiss to get the backhand overhead to seal the set.

Off to the second, tied at 5, but Sock facing a break point, he seems to have control of this point, but Roger is returning everything from the baseline, and the American cannot get this return over the net, giving Federer the break and a 6-5 lead.

A big ace on match point is good enough to give Roger the win, as Switzerland take a 1-love lead in the team tally.

The women's match would see Coco Vandeweghe of the U-S battling Belinda Bencic for Switzerland.

Not much to choose between the pair in the opener, and it needs a tiebreak, and Bencic at the bottom of your screen, is just a hair better, as Vandeweghe finds the net. The Swiss wins the set.

And she was again, just a little better than the American in the second, here serving for the match, this whipping volley land for a winner, and seals a 7-6, 6-4 victory. That seals a place in the final for Switzerland, for the first time since 2001, and makes the mixed doubles match between the countries moot.