The semifinals of the 2026 United Cup are set to showcase an exciting matchup between last year’s finalists, Poland and the USA. This thrilling contest will be preceded by a duel between Switzerland and Belgium.
Leading the American charge will be Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz, while Poland will turn to its star players, Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz. The Swiss hope for glory lies with Belinda Bencic and Stan Wawrinka, while Zizou Bergs and Elise Mertens will represent Belgium.
As the matches heat up on Day 9 of the United Cup, here’s a closer look at the key players in action:
In the first showdown, Stan Wawrinka represents Switzerland against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs. Wawrinka began the tournament with a hard-fought victory over Arthur Rinderknech but faced setbacks against Flavio Cobolli and Sebastian Baez in earlier rounds. His struggles may hinder his performance against the in-form Bergs, who remains unbeaten after defeating competitors like Zhang Zhizhen and Felix Auger-Aliassime. A strong prediction leans towards Bergs taking the match in straight sets.
The standout match of the day pairs Coco Gauff against Iga Swiatek, pitting the World No. 2 against World No. 3. Gauff’s tournament form has stumbled with a single loss to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, while Swiatek has shown her dominance, remaining unbeaten. Historically, Swiatek leads their head-to-head at 11-4, but Gauff enters with momentum from a three-match winning streak against her rival. This highly anticipated clash leans slightly in favor of Swiatek, with a prediction for her to win in three competitive sets.
Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic will take on Belgium’s Elise Mertens, with Bencic holding an unbeaten record at the tournament. Mertens has faced challenges, notably a quarterfinal loss to Barbora Krejcikova but bounced back with a convincing victory against Victoria Mboko. Given Bencic’s excellent form, she is favored to secure her spot in the finals with a straight-set victory.
In the final matchup, American Taylor Fritz will face Hubert Hurkacz. Fritz had a rough start to the year, losing both of his matches in earlier rounds, while Hurkacz is making a comeback from injury, having previously stunned Alexander Zverev. Despite a loss to Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals, Hurkacz looks to reclaim his edge, and predictions suggest he might edge out a win in three sets.
This lineup promises thrilling tennis action as these top competitors vie for the coveted spots in the finals of the United Cup, showcasing their skills and determination on the international stage. The atmosphere is sure to be electric as fans anticipate these high-stakes matches.