Having a ball off the court

HOPMAN Cup regular and former world No.8 Alicia Molik will trade her racket for a microphone this year.

The former professional tennis player joins Darren Cahill, Fred Stolle and Tim Gossage as part of this year's Channel 10 commentary team.

"I've played at the Cup seven times, so it will be interesting working in a full-time capacity commentating," Molik told The Guide.

"The bonus of the Cup for me is I live in Perth with my family, so it will be mixing work with pleasure."

The Hopman Cup is the first major tennis tournament in Australia's summer tennis season and will be held for the first time at the Perth Arena.

The 25th event sees world No.1 Novak Djokovic join the likes of Venus Williams, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Ana Ivanovic.

Australia's hopes of winning for the first time since 1999 rest on Perth local Casey Dellacqua and rising star Bernard Tomic.

"Aussies will get behind Casey, but it's a hard road back to professional tennis after injury," Molik said.

"The Cup is an opportunity for Tomic to redeem himself. That's the best way to look at it."

The Cup airs daily on Channel 10 from Saturday through to the final on January 5.

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