Poland finally secured their first United Cup title after ending Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic’s nine-match winning streak at the mixed gender team tournament in Australia.
Bencic was unbeaten in five women’s singles matches – including a win over world No.2 Iga Sviatek earlier on Sunday – and four mixed doubles events alongside compatriot Jakub Paula.
However, she and Paul were then beaten by Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski in the decider in Sydney as Poland won 2–1 to finally lift the United Cup trophy after losing to Germany in the 2024 final and then the USA in the 2025 final.
Wawrinka (40) will retire from tennis at the end of the 2026 season
Poland leveled the final at 1-1 when Hubert Hurkacz beat 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka – who recently announced that he will retire from tennis at the end of 2026 – in the men’s fight in three sets.
Bencic, 28, rallied from a set down to defeat Sviatek in the women’s singles to open the tie, throwing 36 unforced errors from the six-time Grand Slam champion to triumph 3-6 6-0 6-3.
Belinda Bencic won nine matches in a row at the United Cup before a crucial loss in the mixed doubles
Sviatek is fighting at the end of the United Cup
Sviatek lost both of her singles matches on a tough weekend, with Sunday’s set-up loss to Bencic following Saturday’s straight-set loss to Coco Gauff in the semi-finals against the USA.
Sviatek has now lost four straight matches to Gauff, winning 11 of her first 12 contests with the American.
World number two Iga Sviatek lost his singles matches to Bencic and Koko Gauf over the weekend
The Pole – after celebrating her team’s victory in the United Cup – will turn her attention to the Australian Open from January 18 as she aims to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne for the first time.
She lost to eventual champion Madison Keys in the last four in 2025, while also suffering a semi-final exit to Danielle Collins in 2022.
World No.11 Bencic is yet to go beyond the fourth round in Melbourne, but her excellent form in Australia this week, which included wins over Jasmin Paolini and Elise Mertens as well as Sviatek, should give the Swiss No.1 real confidence for a deep run.
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