Poland Defeats Switzerland to Claim Historic First United Cup Title in 2026
Highlights
- Third Time Lucky for Poland: After finishing as runners-up in 2024 and 2025, Team Poland finally secured their maiden United Cup title by defeating Switzerland 2-1, showcasing incredible resilience to break their finals curse.
- Singles Action Splits the Tie: Switzerland took a shock lead when Belinda Bencic upset World No. 2 Iga Świątek in three sets, but Hubert Hurkacz kept Poland alive with a clutch victory over veteran Stan Wawrinka to level the score at 1-1.
- Mixed Doubles Decider Seals Victory: The championship came down to the final rubber, where the Polish duo of Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zieliński delivered a dominant straight-sets performance against Bencic and Jakub Paul to lift the trophy.
SYDNEY, Australia — In a thrilling conclusion to the 2026 United Cup, Team Poland finally banished the ghosts of finals past, defeating Switzerland 2-1 to lift the trophy for the first time. After finishing as runners-up in both 2024 and 2025, the Polish squad adopted the mantra “third time lucky,” a sentiment that rang true under the roof of the Ken Rosewall Arena on Sunday.
The victory was sealed in a high-stakes mixed doubles decider, capping off a dramatic evening that saw momentum swing wildly between the two nations. Poland’s triumph not only secured their first title in the mixed-team event but also showcased the depth and resilience of a team that had come so close to glory in previous years.
Bencic Stuns Swiatek to Give Switzerland the Lead
The final began with a shock result in the women’s singles rubber. Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, who had been in imperious form throughout the tournament, pulled off a stunning comeback to defeat World No. 2 Iga Świątek 3-6, 6-0, 6-3.
Świątek appeared to be cruising early on, taking the first set comfortably. However, Bencic, riding a nine-match winning streak in Australia, flipped the script entirely in the second set. Playing with aggressive freedom, she bageled the four-time Grand Slam champion to force a decider. Bencic’s momentum continued into the third set, where she broke Świątek’s serve to seal the match and give Switzerland a 1-0 lead.
“To be honest, I felt I was in the match from the very first point,” Bencic said after her victory. “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.”
Hurkacz Saves the Tie Against Veteran Wawrinka
With Poland’s title hopes hanging by a thread, Hubert Hurkacz stepped onto the court facing a must-win situation against Swiss legend and playing captain Stan Wawrinka. In what is set to be his final season on tour, the 40-year-old Wawrinka fought valiantly but ultimately fell to the Polish powerhouse 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Hurkacz relied heavily on his booming serve, firing 18 aces to keep Wawrinka at bay. After splitting the first two sets, Hurkacz found an extra gear in the decider, breaking Wawrinka early and holding his nerve to level the tie at 1-1.
“Stan was the better player in the second set and I knew I was catching him towards the end,” Hurkacz admitted. “I knew I could raise my serve game and that gave me confidence. He’s definitely an inspiration… it’s a pleasure to compete against him.”
Kawa and Zieliński Seal the Championship
The championship came down to the mixed doubles rubber, pitting Poland’s specialist duo of Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zieliński against Bencic and her partner Jakub Paul. While Bencic and Paul had been undefeated as a pair leading into the final, the Polish team’s chemistry proved superior on the night.
Kawa and Zieliński, who had already saved Poland in the semifinals against the United States, delivered a clinical performance. They broke the Swiss serve at crucial moments in both sets, winning 6-4, 6-3. The victory sparked jubilant scenes as the entire Polish team rushed the court, celebrating a title that had eluded them for two consecutive years.
For Switzerland, it was a heartbreaking end to a fairytale run that saw them reach their first United Cup final. For Poland, however, the night belonged to persistence. As fans waved red and white flags in the stands, the team finally lifted the distinct silver trophy, cementing their status as the world’s premier mixed tennis nation in 2026.
