PERTH, Australia — The United Cup has its first confirmed quarterfinalist with Switzerland taking the top spot in Group C, following a 2-1 victory in the tie with Italy.
Belinda Bencic delivered a standout all-around performance on Sunday at the United Cup in Perth. The 28-year-old concluded her singles group-stage play with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Italy’s Jasmine Paolini before returning to the court later in the day to help decide the tie in the mixed doubles.
After Flavio Cobolli levelled the contest with a dramatic deciding-set tiebreak win over Stan Wawrinka, Bencic teamed with Jakub Paul to defeat three-time major champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori 7-5, 4-6, [10-7].
The result secured Switzerland top spot in Group C with a perfect 2-0 record and sent them into the United Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the tournament’s history.
“I think it just starts with the team energy,” Bencic said to reporters. “We didn’t see each other much before this. We made sure we’re bonding, doing stuff together. I think this makes such a big difference. In the important moments, you feel like everyone is behind you.”
In the first rubber, Bencic and Paolini traded five straight breaks, highlighted by a Bencic backhand crosscourt return that glided past the Italian in the fifth game. Bencic provided the game’s first hold and extended her lead to 4-2 against the World No. 8, who Bencic lost two twice in 2025 — in a three-set thriller in Ningbo and at last year’s United Cup group stage.
Paolini recovered quickly and held her serve, coming back from triple break point, and then broke Bencic once more, leveling at 4-4.
Just as Paolini was building momentum, Bencic, No. 11 on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, halted it. She broke Paolini with an on-the-run backhand pass down the line, one of 10 backhand winners on the evening. The World No. 11 then held her serve and took the set 6-4.
Despite holding her serve to start the second set, Paolini dropped three of the next four games. She held her serve, requiring seven games points in the deuce as Bencic was a tall task, to remain a break down at 4-3. Bencic closed the match once more with her sixth break of Paolini’s serve, and propelled Switzerland to a 1-0 lead.
“It’s very nice to get the revenge of course,” Bencic said. “She’s a very good player. I’m really happy with my level today. [There] was some key moments where it was really important, because I had [gotten] a little bit in my head the last few matches, what I did wrong and some situations. I’m really happy I overcame myself in this.”
Bencic is now 2-0 in singles, following her 6-2, 6-4 win over Leolia Jeanjean Saturday. Paolini will face Jeanjean in Italy’s next tie against France.
Cobolli embraced the responsibility of the moment on Sunday, sending Italy to a deciding mixed-doubles match. The 23-year-old, who helped steer his country to its third consecutive Davis Cup title in November, produced a gutsy finish to withstand spirited 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(4) to level the tie.
Highlights: Bencic, Paul send Switzerland to United Cup quarterfinals
Wawrinka, in his final season on tour, pulled off a dramatic third-set tie-break win over Arthur Rinderknech on Saturday. The three-time major champion remained competitive throughout much of the match against Cobolli, but was unable to generate a break point as the Italian maintained his composure.
Wawrinka and Cobolli treated the RAC Arena crowd to a captivating duel deep into the deciding set, highlighted by a moment of magic from Cobolli.
He steadied himself under pressure and fired a stunning forehand winner on the run to claim a mini-break in a tense final-set tie-break en route to improving to 2-0 against Wawrinka.