The United States made light of the temporary absence of Serena Williams [Images] to beat India 2-1 in their opening Group A match at the Hopman Cup on Saturday.

• Images from Day 1

Meghann Shaughnessy, standing in for the world number seven, gave the US a perfect start by beating Sania Mirza [Images] 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 and Mardy Fish [Images] sealed the win with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Rohan Bopanna.

Williams is due to arrive in Perth in time for her nation's second group match in the eight-nation mixed-team event, against the Czech Republic on Monday.

World number 52 Shaughnessy won the first four games against an erratic Mirza and looked on course for a quick win when she led by a set and 2-0.

But Mirza hit back to level and then took command at 3-1 in the decider only to falter when it mattered, losing the last five games to hand Shaughnessy the win.

Fish then breezed past world number 267 Bopanna, easing to victory in one hour, 12 minutes to render the mixed doubles a dead rubber.

Playing for pride in the inconsequential mixed doubles, the seventh-seeded Indian pair combined well to carve out a 6-4, 6-4 win.

India next play sixth-seeded hosts Australia, represented by Alicia Molik [Images] and Peter Luczak, on Tuesday.

"I'm extremely pleased," Fish said in a courtside interview.

"Rohan's a very dangerous player and you never know what to expect after the off-season but it was very good."

Later on Saturday, the Czech Republic team of Tomas Berdych and Lucie Safarova begin their campaign against hosts Australia.

Top seeds Serbia, represented by Novak Djokovic and Jelena Jankovic, begin their campaign in Group B on Sunday against Taiwan.

France [Images] and Argentina complete the Group B line-up, with the winners of each group going through to the final.

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