The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Australia

Serbia will go into the Hopman Cup as firm favourites when the tournament starts in Perth on Saturday, but the unique mixed teams tennis competition has a history of being unpredictable.

The Serbian pairing of Jelena Jankovic and Novak Djokovic contains the two highest ranked participants-both are third in world singles-and is the top seed for the cup.

But the competition's colourful 20-year history is full of major upsets as players are typically coming back for the new season and grappling with mixed doubles, which they may not often play.

France's Gael Monfils is a late withdrawal from the cup due to a knee problem. His replacement is veteran countryman and former Australian Open finalist Arnaud Clement, whose partner will be the glamorous Tatiana Golovin.

The French team are in Group A with Serbia, Chinese Taipei and Argentina for the round robin phase.

Meanwhile US superstar Serena Williams has delayed her arrival due to illness and will be replaced by Meghan Shaughnessy in the opening Group B tie against India on Saturday.

The French play the Serbians on Wednesday, and although Golovin and Clement are seeded fourth, they could be a real threat in possibly a pivotal tie.

If Jankovic or Djokovic stumble in the singles their lack of experience in doubles could open the door for their opponents.

Golovin, ranked 13th in the world, has pushed Jankovic all the way in their three previous singles matches, winning one of them.

Clement is a polished doubles player who claimed his first Grand Slam doubles title this year. He beat Djokovic in their most recent meeting earlier in 2007.

Argentina and Asian Hopman Cup winner Chinese Taipei could also provide stiff competition.

Argentina's team comprises Juan Ignacio Chela, ranked 20th, and Gisela Dulko, a fine doubles player and ranked 37th in singles.

Chinese Taipei's Lu Yen-hsun and Hsieh Su-wei may be viewed as outsiders for the cup, but qualifying teams have often done surprisingly well.

The US is seeded second, but Williams' late arrival opens up Group B, with the Indian pairing of the hugely popular Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna sure to prove testing opposition.

Mirza is ranked 21 places above Shaughnessy at 31 and although Mardy Fish will be expected to beat Bopanna, the Indian pairing were unbeaten in doubles at the last Hopman Cup and almost reached the final.

The other Group B teams are the third-seeded Czech Republic duo Lucie Safarova and Tomas Berdych, along with the host nation's pairing of Alicia Molik and Peter Luczak.

The two teams that top their respective groups meet in Friday's final.