Poland secured a maiden United Cup title finally after snapping Switzerland star Belinda Bencic’s nine-match profitable streak on the mixed-gender workforce event in Australia.
Bencic had gone unbeaten throughout 5 ladies’s singles matches – together with beating world No 2 Iga Swiatek earlier on Sunday – and 4 mixed-doubles contests alongside compatriot Jakub Paul.
Nonetheless, she and Paul had been then defeated by Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski within the decisive rubber in Sydney as Poland gained 2-1 and at last picked up the United Cup trophy after dropping to Germany within the 2024 remaining after which USA within the 2025 showpiece.
Poland had levelled the ultimate at 1-1 when Hubert Hurkacz beat 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka – who just lately introduced he’ll retire from tennis on the finish of 2026 – in a three-set males’s battle.
Bencic, 28, rallied from a set all the way down to defeat Swiatek within the tie-opening ladies’s singles, pouncing on 36 unforced errors from the six-time Grand Slam champion to triumph 3-6 6-0 6-3.
Belinda Bencic gained 9 matches in a row on the United Cup earlier than an important blended doubles defeat
Swiatek struggles in singles – however cherishes Poland victory
Swiatek misplaced each of her singles matches on a tough weekend, with Sunday’s defeat from a arrange on Bencic following Saturday’s straight-sets loss to Coco Gauff within the semi-final towards USA.
Swiatek has now misplaced 4 consecutive matches towards Gauff, having gained 11 of her first 12 contests with the American.
World No 2 Iga Swiatek misplaced singles matches to Bencic and Coco Gauff throughout the weekend
The 24-year-old had an enormous smile on her face after Poland’s United Cup victory, although, saying on the courtroom: “Third time lucky, we have made it! Not lucky, because we have worked really hard!
“It was such a workforce effort. I’m actually completely happy we gained and I’ll all the time bear in mind it. It reveals how large we’re in tennis and possibly we are able to encourage the following technology.
“The only thing I maybe did today was get Belinda [Bencic] tired! Even though my singles performance wasn’t perfect, I really felt the support. My team got my spirits up.”
Swiatek will likely be one of many favourites for the Australian Open from January 18
Swiatek will flip her consideration to the Australian Open from January 18 as she goals to make it previous the semi-finals for the primary time.
She misplaced to eventual champion Madison Keys within the final 4 in 2025, whereas she additionally suffered a semi-final exit to Danielle Collins in 2022.
World No 11 Bencic is but to transcend the fourth spherical in Melbourne however her very good kind in Australia this week, which included wins over Jasmine Paolini and Elise Mertens in addition to Swiatek, ought to give the Swiss No 1 actual confidence of a deep run.
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