Comeback kid Hurkacz inspires Poland to first United Cup title

Switzerland took a shock early lead when Belinda Bencic stunned world number two Iga Swiatek 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 in the opening singles of the mixed teams event.

Playing his first tournament in seven months following knee surgery, 28-year-old Hurkacz withstood a Stan Wawrinka fightback to prevail 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 and send it to a deciding doubles.

Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski then completed a famous victory by beating Bencic and Jakub Paul 6-4, 6-3 to erase the heartbreak of Poland losing in the final in 2024 and 2025.

"Finally, we made it! Third time lucky!" Swiatek said during the trophy ceremony.

"I really felt it was a team effort this year.

"Hubi, what a comeback after so many months. You played amazing. You inspired us all with determination.

"Our doubles team, wow! You just beat everyone. It was amazing."

Hurkacz fired 18 aces against the 40-year-old Wawrinka to erase two heartbreaking near misses in the last two United Cup finals.

In 2024, Hurkacz squandered two championship points before falling to Germany's Alexander Zverev. The USA's Taylor Fritz denied him in a third-set tie-break last year.

"He's definitely an inspiration," Hurkacz said of Wawrinka, who is playing his final season on tour before retirement.

"I was growing up watching him play, compete and win so much. Obviously his game style is really powerful.

"The shots that he can pull off sometimes, you can really admire them even when you are on the other side of the net."

Bencic won 12 of the final 15 games against a shell-shocked Swiatek, earning her second victory over the world number two.

"To be honest, I felt I was in the match from the very first point," said Bencic, who won all five of her singles matches in the tournament.

"I thought I was going great and I was 0-3 down. I was 'OK, what do I have to do?'

"I think I just tried to keep the level and just wait for some chances."

With the title on the line, Zielinski partnered Kawa to victory over the Swiss pair who had been unbeaten in the tournament, scuppering Bencic's attempt at a perfect 10-0 record in singles and doubles.

"This moment is so bittersweet," Bencic said, adding Switzerland had nothing to be disappointed about.

"We can be so proud of ourselves and we really deserve to celebrate this. It was truly one of the best weeks of my life."