Belinda Bencic’s remarkable performance continued at the United Cup as she and partner Jakub Paul advanced Switzerland to the final with a thrilling mixed doubles victory over Belgium’s Elise Mertens and Zizou Bergs. The match concluded with scores of 6-3, 0-6, 10-5, marking Bencic’s eighth win of the week, showcasing her impressive form throughout the team competition.
Bencic has maintained an unbeaten record in her singles matches, winning all four encounters, along with four additional victories in mixed doubles. Paul, who had a modest tour-level doubles record last year, proved pivotal in this match, delivering vital down-the-line winners when it mattered most. “He’s so brave it’s unbelievable,” Bencic praised. “I tell him to go (for it) and he actually goes. It’s crazy.”
Earlier, Bencic had set the tone for Switzerland by defeating Mertens in a gripping singles match, finishing with scores of 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (0). Unfortunately for Swiss fans, Stan Wawrinka faced a setback, losing to Bergs with scores of 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3, which necessitated the mixed doubles match to determine the overall winner.
The critical moment in Wawrinka’s match arose in the third set when Bergs broke his serve, taking a 5-3 lead and ultimately securing the victory. Given the sweltering Sydney temperatures, tournament organizers started play 30 minutes earlier than planned, ensuring that players could compete before the heat reached a forecasted peak of 43 Celsius (109 Fahrenheit).
Bencic had recorded a perfect streak in her initial three matches at the United Cup, winning all six sets. In her match against Mertens, she had to fight hard after finding herself two games away from another straight-sets victory. Mertens, rallying from a 3-1 deficit in the final set, pushed Bencic to the brink before she seized control by winning the final nine points after swapping out her racket for a new one.
“It feels like 170 kilos fell off my shoulders — I was so stressed; I really wanted to do well, and today I felt so much pressure to not let my team down,” Bencic reflected concerning the intensity of her performance. She attributed her turnaround to instinctual play following her equipment change.
Later on Saturday, Poland and the United States were scheduled to clash in the other semifinal, featuring top-ranked players Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, with the possibility of mixed doubles to determine the result if the singles competitions were tied.
Bencic’s tenacity and talent have put Switzerland in a strong position for Sunday’s final, inspiring hopes for victory against formidable opponents.