Bencic Survives Mertens Scare in United Cup Heat

In Sydney’s punishing heat, where temperatures threatened to hit 43 Celsius, tournament officials bumped the start time up 30 minutes to beat the worst of it. Belinda Bencic stepped onto the hard courts at Ken Rosewall Arena carrying the weight of her undefeated season opener, now four matches deep without a blemish. Facing Elise Mertens in the United Cup semifinals, the Swiss player delivered a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (0) win after 2 hours and 37 minutes, securing a 1-0 lead for Switzerland over Belgium.

Streak tested by baseline grit

Bencic had dropped zero sets in her first three outings, relying on sharp inside-out forehands and consistent crosscourt backhands to control rallies. Mertens disrupted that flow in the second set, using heavy topspin to push Bencic back and force uncharacteristic errors, leveling the match at one set all. The third set saw Bencic jump to a 3-1 lead, but the Belgian fought back, saving two break points that could have stretched it to 4-1 and eventually serving for the set at 5-6.

Racket swap ignites comeback

Down 30-30 in that pivotal service game, with Mertens two points from victory, Bencic called for a racket change to a freshly strung one—a move driven by pure instinct rather than strategy. From that moment, she won the final nine points, storming through the tiebreak 7-6 (0) with down-the-line winners and aggressive 1–2 patterns that overwhelmed her opponent. The crowd’s energy shifted with the heat, their cheers amplifying as Bencic rediscovered her rhythm on the skidding hard courts.

On the decision, she reflected: “My brain turned off and let my instincts take over. I think it was just a feeling.” This psychological pivot not only saved the match but highlighted the mental demands of team play, where personal streaks fuel national hopes.

Wawrinka’s farewell adds stakes

With the tie now tilted Switzerland’s way, Stan Wawrinka takes the court against Zizou Bergs in the men’s singles, aiming to seal a spot in Sunday’s final. The veteran, who will retire at the end of this season, brings his flat groundstrokes and net instincts into a generational matchup against the young Belgian’s power game. A win here pits Switzerland against the winner of the other semifinal, where No. 2 Iga Świątek faces No. 4 Coco Gauff and Hubert Hurkacz battles Taylor Fritz, with mixed doubles ready if needed—much like Poland’s quarterfinal decider against Australia.

Bencic’s resilience in the swelter sets a tone of grit for the Swiss squad, blending individual poise with collective drive. As Wawrinka eyes one last team triumph, the United Cup’s hard-court battles underscore how heat and pressure forge unexpected heroes in Sydney.