Hurkacz beats Wawrinka to send United Cup final to decisive mixed doubles | ATP tour | Tennis

United Cup

Hurkacz sends United Cup final to decisive mixed doubles

Bencic looks to finish the tournament with a perfect 10-0 record
January 11, 2026

Hubert Hurkacz defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to move Poland level with Switzerland and send the United Cup final to a decisive mixed doubles match in Sydney on Sunday evening.

“Stan was [the] better player in the second set and I knew I got him towards the end. I found a better game and I knew I could raise my service game and that gave me confidence,” Hurkacz said. “Also from the baseline I felt like I was going to get some opportunities and there were going to be some opportunities for me as well.”

Earlier, Belinda Bencic upset Iga Swiatek 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 to improve this tournament to 5-0 in singles and 9-0 overall, giving the Swiss an early lead. She is now scheduled to compete mixed, chasing a fairytale record of 10-0 and giving Switzerland its first United Cup title

Hurkacz dropped 18 aces on the plucky Wawrinka and saved eight of the nine break points he faced, highlighting the only chink in the 40-year-old’s armor this week. Although he claimed a crucial break on his way to winning the second set, the three-time Grand Slam champion converted just two of 23 break point chances in his five singles matches at the event.

“He’s definitely an inspiration. I grew up watching him play, compete and win so many times,” Hurkacz said. “It’s clear that his style of play is very powerful. You can really admire the shots he can make sometimes, even when you’re on the other side of the net.”

“Sometimes it’s a bit annoying when they come [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, making a triumphant return from a seven-month layoff following knee surgery.

The 28-year-old former world number 6 is looking for United Cup redemption after two heartbreaking near misses in the past two United Cup finals. In 2024, he earned two championship points before falling to Alexander Zverev. Last year, Taylor Fritz denied him in a third-set tiebreak.

Belinda Bencic’s undefeated streak 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 shy of their first United Cup title. She is now 9-0 in the tournament, with five singles victories.

“It’s always a challenge to play against her and every time I play against her I look for ways to improve her life and make it a little bit harder,” Bencic said on court. “I think the difference today was that I played very freely, I really enjoyed myself on the field and I just really went for it.”

Bencic won 12 of the last 15 matches to earn her second victory over the world number 2. The first set looked like it would be Swiatek’s first game of the tie, but the pendulum quickly turned the momentum in Bencic’s favor.

Swiatek started strong early, holding serve in the opening match with four straight points, followed by the first break of the match and another hold. With Swiatek leading 3-0, Bencic settled into the match, winning two consecutive games and narrowing the deficit to 3-2 after a backhand winner on the third break point.

The world number 2 eventually closed out the set, winning three of the next four games, including two breaks in Bencic’s serve. Winning the set 6-3, Swiatek hit a crosscourt backhand winner that the Swiss couldn’t reach.

The second set, however, would feature Bencic’s domination. Bencic started the second set by winning nine straight points, and in the third game she saved two break points. The next game she earned the crucial break on the third chance and finished the set in 33 minutes.

“To be honest, from the first point I felt like I was in the game,” Bencic said. “I thought it was going well and I was 0-3 down. I thought ‘Okay, what do I do.’ I think I just tried to maintain the level and just wait for some opportunities.”

After three consecutive games of service holds to start the third, Bencic provided the turning point. With a powerful forehand to set up a break point, she took advantage of the crucial point and answered Swiatek’s serve with a convincing backhand winner. Swiatek fought until the last point, holding two service games and saving two match points with a pair of aces. But when Swiatek – who had an uncharacteristic 36 unforced errors to her opponent’s 10 – trailed 5-3, Bencic earned a triple match point, and her open-court backhand winner sealed the deal.