Bencic’s Instinctive Swap Turns United Cup Tide

In the charged atmosphere of Perth’s hard courts, Belinda Bencic extended her flawless United Cup streak with a gripping 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(0) win over Elise Mertens on Saturday, handing Switzerland a 1-0 lead in the semi-finals. The 28-year-old Swiss player, unbeaten at 6-0 through three ties, reversed their lone prior meeting from 2021, where Mertens had prevailed. Her heavy topspin forehands found extra bite on the skidding surface, pinning the Belgian deep and setting an early tone of relentless baseline pressure.

Bencic’s path to the final four had been dominant, dropping no sets against Leolia Jeanjean, Jasmine Paolini, and Solana Sierra, while Mertens entered after grinding wins over Victoria Mboko and Barbora Krejcikova following a straight-sets victory against Zhu Lin. The first set saw Bencic break at 2-2 with a deep crosscourt backhand that forced Mertens into a hurried slice reply, her returns probing the Belgian’s second serve for a clean 6-3 hold. As the crowd’s murmurs built, Bencic’s one–two pattern—serve followed by inside-out forehand—kept rallies short and errors mounting on the opponent’s side.

Second set fightback exposes nerves

Bencic appeared headed for a routine 6-3, 6-4 finish, leading 3-1 in the second with aggressive net approaches that won her 70% of points up front. But Mertens shifted tactics, deploying underspin backhands to neutralize the topspin dip and shorten points, erasing the deficit with a down-the-line pass that clipped the line. She denied Bencic two break chances to level at 5-5, then broke with a sharp angle crosscourt, stealing the set and injecting doubt into the Swiss camp as the match stretched past two hours.

The Belgian’s movement sharpened, her flat forehands exploiting Bencic’s occasional mid-court hesitation on the true-bouncing hard court. Unforced errors from the leader climbed to eight in the set, a rare lapse in her otherwise impervious form, while the Perth arena’s energy pulsed with every prolonged exchange. This reversal amplified the psychological weight, turning a straightforward tie into a test of endurance where every hold carried the burden of national hopes.

Decider’s drama hinges on bold change

The third set exploded from the start, Mertens clawing back from 1-3 with resilient returns that saved two break points at 3-1, her inside-in forehand landing inches inside the baseline to deny Bencic a 4-1 edge. Bencic’s serve held firm at 80% efficiency, but at 5-6, 30-30 on her delivery, Mertens stood two points from victory, the tension thick as the crowd leaned in. Then, in a flash of instinct, Bencic called for a fresh-strung racquet, the switch sharpening her spin control and igniting a nine-point run that forced a tiebreak.

From there, her renewed forehand loops drew errors, sealing the 7-6(0) tiebreak after 2 hours and 37 minutes, the arena erupting as Switzerland edged closer to their first final. On the racquet change, she sheepishly confessed: ”My brain turned off and let my instincts take over.“ ”I think it was just a feeling, and I played with my back against the wall,“ she added. ”I was really focused on myself, on breathing, and I’m super happy that I stayed tough in the important moments.“

Wawrinka eyes historic Swiss breakthrough

With the tie at 1-0, Stan Wawrinka steps up against Zizou Bergs, his veteran slice serves and inside-out returns poised to counter the Belgian’s rising aggression on these fast courts. Wawrinka’s hard-court savvy could exploit any fatigue, aiming to propel Switzerland into the United Cup decider for the first time. Bencic’s resilience, forged in that raw moment of adaptation, sets the stage for a team push where mental edges often decide mixed-teams glory.