Bencic Overturns Swiatek in United Cup Final Opener
Belinda Bencic’s flawless United Cup streak hit nine wins with a gritty comeback against Iga Swiatek, handing Switzerland a 1-0 edge in the 2026 final and reviving a rivalry long dominated by the world No. 2.
SYDNEY, Australia—Belinda Bencic turned the Ken Rosewall Arena into her personal proving ground on a humid January night in 2026, reversing an early deficit to topple Iga Swiatek 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 in the United Cup final. The Swiss No. 1’s ninth straight victory at the tournament—five in singles—put her country one match from its first title, her second career win over the six-time Grand Slam champion snapping a four-year drought. As Poland clung to hopes in the tie, Hubert Hurkacz now faces Stan Wawrinka, with a mixed doubles decider on the line if the men split.
“It’s always a challenge playing against her and every time I play her, I look for ways to improve and make her life a bit more difficult,” Bencic said on court. “I think the difference today was I played very freely, I was really enjoying myself out on the court and I was just really going for it.”
The hardcourts here, with their medium pace and consistent bounce, played to Bencic’s flat shots and quick adjustments, contrasting Swiatek’s topspin-heavy baseline game that sometimes sat up too high. Bencic’s season had already featured a top-10 upset over Jasmine Paolini in group play, building the confidence that fueled this tactical shift. Crowd murmurs built as the Swiss star sensed the Pole’s rhythm faltering under final pressure.
Swiatek asserts dominance early
Swiatek opened with authority, holding serve in four straight points, her heavy topspin forehand forcing weak returns from Bencic. She broke immediately after, then held again to race to 3-0, the Polish fans’ cheers cutting through the arena’s electric hum. Bencic steadied by winning two games in a row, her backhand winner on the third break point slicing crosscourt to trim the lead to 3-2.
The world No. 2 regrouped fast, breaking back with a sharp crosscourt backhand that left Bencic lunging in vain, then holding to push toward the set’s close. Swiatek sealed it 6-3 on another backhand winner down-the-line, her 1–2 pattern of deep returns and inside-out forehands dictating the tempo. Yet Bencic’s eyes stayed steady, her mental reset drawing on the tournament’s grueling path to keep errors low at just 10 for the match.
Bencic dominates with second-set bagel
The second set flipped into Bencic’s control, a surge of nine consecutive points shattering Swiatek’s serve and igniting Swiss roars from the stands. She saved two break points in the third game with aggressive inside-in forehands, then broke on her third opportunity, consolidating to lead 3-0. The bagel came in 33 minutes, Bencic’s one–two combinations exploiting the surface’s speed to rush the Pole into unforced miscues.
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This onslaught stemmed from Bencic’s composure after the shaky start, her free-swinging approach turning defense into offense as Swiatek’s error count climbed. “To be honest, I felt I was in the match from the very first point,” she said later. Even down 0-3, Bencic waited for openings, her slice backhands disrupting the topspin flow that had carried Swiatek through prior sets.
Third-set break clinches Swiss lead
The decider began with three straight holds, tension mounting as groundstrokes flew deeper, Bencic varying depths to keep Swiatek off-balance. At 2-2, she crafted the pivotal break: a powerful forehand set up the point, converted with a backhand winner that zipped past a diving Swiatek. Bencic held to lead 4-1, the momentum now a one-way street toward victory.
Swiatek battled on, holding twice and unleashing aces to save two match points, her fight masking the 36 unforced errors that betrayed frayed nerves. Trailing 5-3, she faced triple match point, but Bencic’s backhand into the open court ended it, claiming 12 of the final 15 games. As Switzerland celebrated the 1-0 tie lead, Wawrinka’s experience against Hurkacz’s power could force the mixed doubles, testing Poland’s resolve in their third straight final.
