Belgian pair Kim Clijsters and Xavier Malisse won the crucial mixed doubles to snatch victory over a gallant Italy in a Hopman Cup mixed teams tennis tournament tie at Burswood Dome today.
The fourth-seeded Belgians won the doubles, beating Francesca Schiavone and Davide Sanguinetti 6-3, 6-4 to clinch the tie 2-1 after being given an early fright.
Eighteen-year-old Clijsters -- ranked 5th in the world -- crashed to defeat by 31st-ranked Schiavone, 21, in the women's singles as Italy took a 1-0 lead.
In the biggest upset in this year's eight-nation contest, Schiavone won 6-4, 6-4 in 83 minutes.
But Malisse revived Belgium's hopes on the third day of the million-dollar (500,000-US) mixed teams tournament.
Ranked 35th, the 21-year-old beat Italy's 86th-ranked Sanguinetti, 29, in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5 in 84 minutes in the men's singles to make it all square.
In the deciding doubles, Clijsters and Malisse teamed up well to take the honours decisively.
The Belgians are the fourth seeds in the eight-nation contest, while the unseeded Schiavone and Sanguinetti were forced into a play-off with Greece to reach the main draw.