Swiatek suffers rare back-to-back defeats without scoring, shedding tears as Poland narrowly beats Switzerland to claim the United Cup title

Success at last on the third attempt! After consecutive final defeats in 2024 and 2025, Poland defeated Switzerland 2-1 on Sunday evening at Ken Roswell Stadium to win the United Cup for the first time.

After Swiatek was beaten by Bencic, the Polish team fought back. Hurkacz equalized the total score, and then the mixed doubles duo Kawa and Zelinski won the decisive match to claim the title. This marked their third consecutive victory in a final set, shattering Switzerland’s hopes of winning the United Cup for the first time.

Kawa and Zelinski finished the tournament with a flawless 5-0 record in mixed doubles, defeating the previously unbeaten pair of Bencic and Jakub Paul. In the first set, at 5-4 and 40-40, Kawa’s crucial volley at the net earned a match point, a pivotal moment that influenced the outcome of the match.

This mixed doubles loss was Bencic’s only defeat in the entire event. She ended with an impressive 9-1 record and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). Bencic went undefeated 5-0 in singles, including wins over world No. 2 Swiatek and world No. 8 Paolini, both top 10 players, earning 500 ranking points.

In her match against Swiatek, Bencic won 12 of the last 15 games. Swiatek took the first set comfortably, but the momentum quickly shifted to world No. 11 Bencic.

“Playing against her has always been tough. Every time we meet, I look for ways to improve and make it harder for her,” said Bencic, who defeated Swiatek for the first time in over four years. “I think what was different today was that I played very relaxed and really enjoyed being on the court, daring to attack fully.”

Swiatek started strong, holding serve with four straight points in the first game, then achieving the match’s first break and holding again to lead 3-0. Bencic gradually found her rhythm, winning two games in a row with a backhand winner on her third break point to narrow the score to 3-2. Ultimately, the six-time Grand Slam champion took the first set and won three of the next four games.

However, the second set became entirely Bencic’s showcase as she swept her opponent with a “bagel,” pushing the match to a decider. She scored nine consecutive points to open the set and saved two break points in the third game. Then, on her third chance, she secured a crucial break and finished the set in just 33 minutes.

“Honestly, from the very first point, I felt like I was in the match,” Bencic said. “Even though I was down 0-3 at one point, I kept thinking, ‘What can I do?’ I just tried to maintain my level and wait for my opportunity.”

After both players held serve in the first three games of the deciding set, Bencic hit a powerful forehand to force a break point and sealed the break with a clean backhand winner. Following another hold, she led 4-1, just two games away from victory, and ultimately seized the chance to win.

Swiatek fought until the last point, saving two match points with two aces, but on the third match point, Bencic’s backhand winner ended the contest. Moments after the match, Swiatek angrily threw her racket on the court and then broke down in tears, clearly devastated by the loss.

Then, under immense pressure, Hurkacz leveled the overall score for Poland by firing 18 aces against Wawrinka and saving 8 of 9 break points faced. Although Wawrinka made a crucial break in the second set to take that set, the three-time Grand Slam champion converted only 2 of 23 break point opportunities across his five singles matches in the tournament.

Hurkacz won four of his five singles matches this week, marking a strong comeback after knee surgery and a seven-month hiatus. The 28-year-old former world No. 6 finally overcame the disappointments of the previous two United Cup finals. In 2024, he held two championship points but lost to Zverev; last year, he was denied by Fritz in a third-set tiebreak. This time, Hurkacz stepped up at the crucial moment, leading Poland to a comeback victory and the championship.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)