SYDNEY – Iga Swiatek’s fitness and form problems are overshadowing Poland’s breakthrough in the United Cup final against Switzerland in Sydney.
Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski captured Poland’s first title with a typically steely 6-4, 6-3 victory over Belinda Bencic and Jakub Paul in the decisive closed-roof mixed doubles match at the Ken Rosewall Arena.
The Swiss defeat denied Bencic a perfect 10 out of 10 for the tournament after the tournament MVP and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist upset an ailing Swiatek 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 for a fifth straight singles victory, with four doubles successes with the unheralded Paul.
Hubert Hurkacz leveled the score at one rubber apiece with a pulsating 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over inspired Swiss captain Stan Wawrinka.
The 40-year-old three-time Grand Slam winner sent fans into a frenzy and gestured love heart signs to the ecstatic crowd after dragging his 16th-seeded Swiss underdogs to a string of unlikely Cup glory at the $17 million mixed showpiece.
Wawrinka stunned the spectators with still the sweetest one-handed backhand in tennis, while Hurkacz threatened to fall apart under the crushing pressure of trying to keep the Poles level.
Sadly, the outgoing champions withered after taking the second set as Poland stormed to their first United Cup crown after losing successive finals in 2024 and 2025.
But while her team rejoiced, Swiatek heads to Melbourne on Monday, where her health and play are under scrutiny after a series of mysterious meltdowns and lackluster performances in Sydney.
In a worrying development just a week after the Australian Open, the world number 2 left the court for treatment after suffering a rare bagel blow in her deflating loss to Bencic.
Swiatek was in a state of complete despair by the end, throwing her racket across the court and bursting into tears after her second straight defeat at the event.
While world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka underlined her Open favoritism with a third consecutive Brisbane International crown on Sunday, Swiatek – the Belarusian’s closest pursuer in the rankings – also suffered a straight sets loss to world No. 4 Coco Gauff on Saturday evening.
The six-time Grand Slam winner was also seen crying during the first change during her victory over Australia’s Maya Joint on Friday evening.
Ecstatic about Poland’s victory, Swiatek played down any problems.
‘Everything is fine. It just hurts a lot,” she said.
“First tournament of the year, it makes the body (feel) a little different. Different than during the season.
But I also had a similar experience last year, so I’ll just recover well and take a few days off.
“I also really love these team events, but they really take a lot of energy from you.
So I still have to figure out how to balance that going forward because I get so excited on the couch.
“Honestly, it’s almost like playing a match, so yeah, it’s all good.”
But after capping the third leg of a storied Grand Slam career with a famous 6-0, 6-0 final win at Wimbledon last July, the state of the 24-year-old’s health and play will be one of the main talking points as the countdown to the first major of the season starts at Melbourne Park next Sunday.
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