ATP Tour

Final Preview: Hurkacz, Swiatek eye United Cup breakthrough vs. Switzerland

Will it be a case of third time lucky for Team Poland when they contest the United Cup final in Sydney on Sunday?

Led by Hubert Hurkacz and Iga Swiatek, the two-time runners-up face Team Switzerland with a new champion guaranteed. Switzerland’s charge has been driven by Belinda Bencic, who has been flawless across both singles and mixed doubles, with playing captain Stan Wawrinka providing leadership and experience in what is the three-time major champion’s final season on Tour.

Proceedings at Ken Rosewall Arena begin at 5:30 p.m. with Bencic meeting Swiatek, before Wawrinka takes on Hurkacz. The Pole won their lone Lexus ATP Head2Head encounter, which came at the United Cup in 2023.

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Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion, holds a 5-1 advantage in her head-to-head with Bencic, though the Swiss has been in inspired form throughout the competition in both Sydney and Perth. Unbeaten in four singles outings, the 28-year-old — mother to 21-month-old daughter Bella — has been the cornerstone of her team, while Swiatek will be eager to respond after her straight-sets semi-final defeat to Coco Gauff.

“Stan pushes me through in my singles, then he tries to push himself through in his singles, then he pushes us over the line in the mixed,” Bencic said of playing captain Wawrinka. “I don't know what to say. It's just amazing.”

Wawrinka faces a daunting task against the powerful-serving Hurkacz, particularly on return. The 40-year-old has broken serve just once across his four matches and has leaned on a more defensive game plan, yielding a single win. Hurkacz, by contrast, has unleashed 77 aces en route to the final.

“It's going to be a fun match against Stan,” Hurkacz said. “He's shown some amazing tennis throughout this tournament. Obviously it's his last year on Tour. It's really inspiring to watch him play, watch him compete. It's going to be a fun challenge. Lots of positive emotions. So happy we're in the finals again.”

After a seven-month injury layoff that required knee surgery, Hurkacz has looked sharp in Sydney. The former No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings has already notched victories over Top 10 opponents Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz, who edged him in a final-set tie-break to secure last year’s United Cup title.

With both teams evenly matched, the final could hinge on mixed doubles. Switzerland’s Bencic and Jakub Paul are unbeaten in four matches, while Poland’s Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski boast an identical record.