Poland overcame Switzerland 2-1 in the United Cup final on Sunday, finally ending the heartbreak of two previous title-round defeats and securing their first triumph in the season-opening mixed-team competition.

Hubert Hurkacz continued his return to form after a nearly seven-month injury layoff, defeating veteran Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to level the tie at 1-1 following Iga Świątek’s hard-fought loss to Belinda Bencic, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3.

The deciding match saw Poland’s mixed doubles duo, Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zieliński, overcome Bencic and Jakub Paul 6-4, 6-3, sparking jubilant celebrations in Sydney as Poland finally converted their dominance into silverware.

“We’ve finally made it. Third time lucky,” Świątek said. “We worked hard … I want to thank the team. This year it was such a team effort. Even though my singles performances weren’t perfect, the team lifted my spirits and believed until the end.”

Momentum and confidence

Poland’s victory capped a strong campaign, which included a semi-final win over last year’s champions, the United States. Hurkacz will carry that momentum into his singles campaign at the Australian Open, which begins on January 18.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Świątek heads to Melbourne with mixed form after consecutive defeats, first to Coco Gauff in the semi-finals and then to Bencic in the final, but remains among the year’s top contenders.

An entertaining contest

Świątek began strongly against Bencic, racing to a 3-0 lead in the first set. She appeared to have the opening set secured at 5-3 with a third break before closing it with a powerful backhand down the line. However, Bencic dominated the second set 6-0 and raced to a 4-1 lead in the decider. After squandering two match points at 5-2, Bencic eventually closed out the match on her own serve, giving Switzerland a 1-0 lead in the tie.

Hurkacz answers the challenge

Playing in his final season on tour, Wawrinka pushed Hurkacz to a deciding set in the second singles match. The 40-year-old Swiss champion proved a formidable opponent, but Hurkacz’s power and precision ultimately prevailed.

“He’s definitely an inspiration,” Hurkacz said of Wawrinka. “I grew up watching him play, compete, and win so much. You can really admire his shots even when you’re on the other side of the net.”

Hurkacz delivered 18 aces and saved eight of nine break points, setting up the decisive mixed doubles match. The experience of Kawa and Zieliński helped Poland secure the victory, completing a memorable United Cup campaign.