Poland secured a maiden United Cup title at last after snapping Switzerland star Belinda Bencic’s nine-match winning streak at the mixed-gender team tournament in Australia.Bencic had gone unbeaten across five women’s singles matches – including beating world No 2 Iga Swiatek earlier on Sunday – and four mixed-doubles contests alongside compatriot Jakub Paul.
However, she and Paul were then defeated by Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski in the decisive rubber in Sydney as Poland won 2-1 and finally picked up the United Cup trophy after losing to Germany in the 2024 final and then USA in the 2025 showpiece.
United Cup champions
2023: USA (beat Italy 4-0 in final)
2024: Germany (beat Poland 2-1 in final)
2025: USA (beat Poland 2-0 in final)
2026: Poland (beat Switzerland 2-1 in final)
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Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka, 40, will retire from tennis at the end of the 2026 season
Poland had levelled the final at 1-1 when Hubert Hurkacz beat 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka – who recently announced he will retire from tennis at the end of 2026 – in a three-set men’s battle.Bencic, 28, rallied from a set down to defeat Swiatek in the tie-opening women’s singles, pouncing on 36 unforced errors from the six-time Grand Slam champion to triumph 3-6 6-0 6-3.
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Belinda Bencic won nine matches in a row at the United Cup before a crucial mixed doubles defeat
Swiatek struggles in singles – but cherishes Poland victorySwiatek lost both of her singles matches on a difficult weekend, with Sunday’s defeat from a set up on Bencic following Saturday’s straight-sets loss to Coco Gauff in the semi-final against USA.
Swiatek has now lost four consecutive matches against Gauff, having won 11 of her first 12 contests with the American.
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World No 2 Iga Swiatek lost singles matches to Bencic and Coco Gauff across the weekend
The 24-year-old had a big smile on her face after Poland’s United Cup victory, though, saying on the court: “Third time lucky, we have made it! Not lucky, because we have worked really hard!”It was such a team effort. I am really happy we won and I will always remember it. It shows how big we are in tennis and maybe we can inspire the…
2026-01-11 12:55:00
