Hurkacz sends United Cup final to a deciding mixed doubles
Hubert Hurkacz defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to draw Poland level with Switzerland and send the United Cup final to a deciding mixed doubles in Sydney on Sunday night.
“Stan was [the] better player in the second set and I knew I was catching him towards the end. I was finding a better game and I knew I can raise my serve game and that gave me confidence,” Hurkacz said. “Also, from the baseline, I felt like I would get some chances and there would be some opportunities for me.”
Earlier, Belinda Bencic upset Iga Swiatek 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 to improve to 5-0 in singles this tournament and 9-0 overall to give the Swiss an early lead. She is now scheduled to compete in mixed, chasing a fairytale 10-0 record to deliver Switzerland its first United Cup title
Hurkacz dropped 18 aces on the courageous Wawrinka and saved eight of the nine break points he faced, highlighting the lone chink in the 40-year-old’s armour this week. Although he claimed a critical break en route to winning the second set, the three-time Grand Slam champion converted just two of 23 break point opportunities across his five singles matches during the event.
“He’s definitely an inspiration. I was growing up watching him play, compete and win so much,” Hurkacz said. “Obviously his game style is really powerful. The shots that he can pull off sometimes, you can really admire them even when you are on the other side of the net.
“It’s a bit annoying sometimes when they come up with [those shots]. Good times for him, bad times for me, but it’s a pleasure to compete against him.”
Hurkacz won four of his five singles matches this week, capping a triumphant return from a seven-month injury layoff after knee surgery.
The 28-year-old former World No. 6 is looking for United Cup redemption after two heartbreaking near misses in the past two United Cup finals. In 2024 he held two championship points before falling to Alexander Zverev. Last year Taylor Fritz denied him in a third-set tie-break.
Belinda Bencic’s undefeated run continues. With a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 comeback win over Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the Swiss No. 1 put her country one win from their first United Cup title. She’s now 9-0 at the tournament, with five wins in singles.
“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.”
Bencic won 12 of the final 15 games, earning her second victory over the World No. 2. The first set seemed the tie’s first match was going to belong to Swiatek, but the pendulum quickly shifted the momentum into Bencic’s favor.
Swiatek started strong early, holding serve in the opening game with four straight points followed by the match’s first break and another hold. With Swiatek up 3-0, Bencic settled into the match, winning two consecutive games of her own, cutting the deficit to 3-2 after a backhand winner on the third break point.
The World No. 2 eventually closed out the set, winning three of the next four games, including two breaks of Bencic’s serve. Winning the set 6-3, Swiatek hit a crosscourt backhand winner that the Swiss could not reach.
The second set, however, would feature Bencic domination. Bencic started the second set winning nine consecutive points, and in the third game, she saved two break points. The following game, she’d earn the crucial break on the third chance and finished the set in 33 minutes.
“To be honest, I felt I was in the match from the very first point,” Bencic said. “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.”
After three consecutive games with service holds to begin the third, Bencic notched the turning point. With a powerful forehand to set up break point, she took advantage of the crucial point, returning Swiatek’s serve with a convincing backhand winner. Swiatek fought to the last point, holding two games of serve and saving two match points with a pair of aces. But as Swiatek — who had an uncharacteristic 36 unforced errors her opponent’s 10 — trailed 5-3, Bencic earned triple match point, and her backhand winner into the open court sealed the deal.
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