SYDNEY, Jan 10 (Reuters) – Poland exacted revenge for their loss to the United States in last year’s final, beating the defending champions in their last-four tie at the United Cup to set up a title clash with Switzerland, who beat Belgium in their semi-final on Saturday.
Hubert Hurkacz stunned world number nine Taylor Fritz in the men’s singles to give Poland the lead, before Coco Gauff beat Iga Swiatek to level the tie. But Poland prevailed in the mixed doubles decider, where Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski beat Gauff and Christian Harrison.
Hurkacz, ranked 83rd in the world, avenged his loss to Fritz in last year’s final in a 7-6(1) 7-6(2) win, after taking the lead in both tiebreaks with well-placed backhand passing shots to beat his second top-10 ranked opponent this week.
““Definitely pleasantly surprised… in seven months, (this is) my first tournament. So coming back from such a long period the first time in my life, you never know what to expect,” said Hurkacz, who also beat world number three Alexander Zverev on Monday when he returned from an injury layoff.
World number four Gauff got the U.S. back in the game, beating Swiatek 6-4 6-2, as the American’s powerful shots forced the world number two to stay near the baseline and make mistakes with her backhand returns.
Gauff, however, could not complete her team’s comeback, as Kawa and Zielinski won 7-6(5) 7-6(3) in the mixed doubles, ensuring Poland’s progress to Sunday’s final.
“I’m so proud of our team… I gave everything that I had. It means a lot, it’s a great victory for us,” Kawa said.
BENCIC STEERS SWITZERLAND TO VICTORY
Belinda Bencic led Switzerland to their first United Cup final, beating Elise Mertens in the singles before returning alongside Jakub Paul to clinch a doubles win.
In the deciding mixed doubles match, the Swiss duo claimed a 6-3 0-6 10-5 win over Mertens and Zizou Bergs in an hour and 17 minutes.
Bencic and Paul coasted through the first set but won a total of just 12 points in the second set as the match went into a tiebreak.
The Swiss pair did well to shake off their collapse and refocus, taking five points in a row to give themselves a 9-4 lead and then crossing the finish line when Bergs netted a return.
“It’s easy to find the energy with this team. It’s just great to play with Belinda. I mean, just hats off to her to play almost three hours and then come out again for the doubles,” Paul said.
The tie was played in gruelling conditions as temperatures hovered around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
Earlier, Bergs needed an energy-sapping two-and-a-half hours on court to beat Stan Wawrinka 6-3 6-7(4) 6-3. Bergs took the first set with ease but was pushed hard in the second as the Swiss captain rallied to level the match.
Bergs found himself down 40-0 on Wawrinka’s serve at 4-3 in the third set, but the Belgian clawed his way back and claimed a decisive break.
In the tie’s first match, Bencic kept alive her undefeated run at the tournament as she beat Elise Mertens 6-3 4-6 7-6(0) and put Switzerland in front.
Bencic, a former Olympic gold medallist, has won all four singles and all four mixed doubles matches during the United Cup.
“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 said.
“I was really focused on myself, on breathing, and I’m super happy that I stayed tough in the important moments.”
(Reporting by Aadi Nair and Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru, editing by Stephen Coates and Clare Fallon)
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