SYDNEY — Poland bounced again from two consecutive runner-up finishes to win the United Cup after Jan Zielinski and Katarzyna Kawa beat Jakub Paul and Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-3 within the deciding blended doubles match to finish a 2-1 comeback victory over Switzerland on Sunday.
Earlier, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz beat Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to even the ultimate after Belinda Bencic rallied from a set right down to stun No. 2-ranked Iga Świątek 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, giving Switzerland a shock lead.
Hurkacz was enjoying in a event for the primary time in seven months after knee surgical procedure sidelined the previous No. 6-ranked participant. He received 4 of his 5 singles matches, together with victories over Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz.
These triumphs will assist ease the ache of defeats within the remaining over the previous two years with a loss to Zverev in 2024 after the Polish participant misplaced two championship factors and one other final 12 months to Fritz in a tiebreaker.
“Lastly, we made it — third time fortunate,” stated Świątek on the trophy presentation. “I actually felt it was a staff effort this 12 months. Hubi, what a comeback after so many months. You performed superb. You impressed us all with willpower. I really feel you improved each a part of our sport. Our doubles staff, wow! You simply beat everybody. It was superb.”
Bencic lastly beat Świątek
Bencic, who had received all 4 of her singles and 4 blended doubles matches this week, got here into her match towards Świątek having misplaced her final 5 matches towards the previous No. 1-ranked participant.
It seemed as if that pattern was going to proceed as Świątek began strongly and claimed the opening set 6-3 at Ken Rosewall Enviornment.
However the No.11-ranked Bencic shifted the momentum by profitable 9 consecutive factors to open the second, night the match in a swift 33-minute set.
The decisive third set hinged on an important break at 2-1, the place Bencic capitalized on a strong forehand to grab management. Whereas Swiatek fought to save lots of two match factors with consecutive aces, her effort was hampered by an uncharacteristic 36 unforced errors, in comparison with simply 10 from Bencic.
Bencic sealed the win with a chic backhand winner into the open courtroom on her third match level.
“To be trustworthy, I felt I used to be within the match from the very first level,” Bencic stated. “I assumed I used to be going nice and I used to be 0-3 down. I used to be ‘OK, what do I’ve to do.’ I feel I simply tried to maintain the extent and simply watch for some possibilities.”
“I feel the distinction right this moment was I performed very freely, I used to be actually having fun with myself out on the courtroom and I used to be simply actually going for it.”
