Bencic’s Freewheeling Fightback Edges Switzerland to United Cup Brink
Belinda Bencic turned a shaky start into a commanding comeback against Iga Swiatek, her joyful aggression putting Switzerland one win from a historic United Cup title in Perth’s electric final.
Perth’s Ken Rosewall Arena thrummed under the afternoon sun on January 11, 2026, as Belinda Bencic stepped onto the hard court against Iga Swiatek in the women’s singles of the United Cup final. The Swiss No. 1, unbeaten at 9-0 in the tournament with five singles victories, channeled a nation’s dream of their first title into every swing. What began as Swiatek’s poised assault flipped into Bencic’s rhythmic dominance, her mental reset exposing the world No. 2’s fraying edges on this true-bouncing surface.
Swiatek owned the opening exchanges, her serve locking in with four straight points for a love hold, then a break that pushed her to 3-0. Bencic steadied, breaking back twice on a backhand winner after three deuces to trail 3-2, but the Pole regrouped with two more breaks, sealing the 6-3 set on a crosscourt backhand that died short in the corner.
“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.”
Swiatek’s rhythm cracks under pressure
The second set ignited Bencic’s surge, as she ripped off nine straight points to grab the early edge, saving two break points in her first service game with deep returns and a volley. She converted her third break chance with an inside-in forehand that clipped the line, then held firm to claim the bagel in 33 minutes, her heavy topspin forcing Swiatek into hesitant mid-court pops. The crowd’s cheers swelled with each point, the arena’s energy feeding Bencic’s flow while Swiatek’s footwork lagged on the indoor hard court’s quick response.
“To be honest, I felt I was in the match from the very first point,” Bencic reflected later. “I thought I was going great and I was 0-3 down. I was ‘OK, what do I have to do.’ I think I just tried to keep the level and just wait for some chances.”
Bencic’s underspin backhands pulled Swiatek wide, disrupting the Pole’s baseline rhythm and turning her topspin loops into floating targets. With 12 of the final 15 games now hers, Bencic’s second win over the world No. 2 felt like a tactical unraveling of Swiatek’s early script, the Swiss mixing depths to keep her opponent off-balance.
Third-set break flips the final
Three straight holds opened the decider, the tension coiling as Switzerland hovered one victory from glory in the United Cup. At 3-all, Bencic unleashed a powerful forehand to earn break point, converting with a down-the-line backhand winner that pierced Swiatek’s defenses and shifted the momentum decisively. Her one–two pattern—serve deep to the body followed by an aggressive crosscourt return—pinned the world No. 2, amplifying the 36 unforced errors against Bencic’s clean 10.
Swiatek clawed back, holding at 5-3 with two aces to erase match points and force Bencic to serve it out. The Swiss stayed locked in, carving out triple match point and sealing the 6-3 finish with a backhand into the open court, her free-swinging joy echoing through the roaring stands. This 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 comeback not only extended Bencic’s streak but etched her mental fortitude into the tournament’s lore.
Switzerland now stands on the brink, their path to a maiden United Cup title resting on the men’s singles where Hubert Hurkacz must overcome Stan Wawrinka to force a mixed doubles decider. Wawrinka‘s veteran slices could echo Bencic’s variety on these hard courts, but Hurkacz‘s booming serve looms large, testing Poland’s resolve in their third straight final push. As the evening shadows lengthen over Perth, the tie’s drama promises to probe both teams’ depths, with Bencic’s blueprint of patient aggression setting the tone.
