federation cup
Poland erases Manchester United Cup heartbreak with maiden title win in Sydney
Team finds redemption after finishing as runners-up the past two years
January 11, 2026
Andrew Eichenholz/ATP Tour
The Polish team celebrates winning the Confederation Cup for the first time.
Author: ATP/WTA Staff
Hubert Hurkacz erased two years of Fed Cup final heartbreak as he guided Poland to a narrow victory over Switzerland in the mixed team event in Sydney on Sunday night, ending an emotional injury comeback.
The former world number six, playing his first match in seven months since knee surgery, needed a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Stan Wawrinka to keep his side alive after Iga Swiatek lost 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 to Belinda Bencic. Bencic), Belinda Bencic ended the match with a 5-0 singles record.
With the title looming, Jan Zielinski once again performed well, partnering with Katarzyna Kava for a fifth 6-4, 6-3 win over the previously unbeaten Jakub Paul and Bencic, who was trying to finish with a perfect 10-0 record in match play. Bencic was named the Most Valuable Player of the Manchester United Cup Final.
It was an exciting night for Swiss captain Wawrinka, 40, who will be hoping to start his farewell season with an unexpected Confederations Cup win. The brave Wawrinka played four three-set matches throughout the tournament, but ultimately managed just one victory in his five singles matches.
“I’m kind of speechless. It’s really unbelievable,” Heckatz said. “Obviously for me personally it’s also an important day for Poland, for Polish tennis. We showed what we can do as a Polish tennis nation. It feels incredible to win this trophy. After we were so close twice.
“A big thank you to the whole team, everyone supported each other and enjoyed the game together.”
“We finally made it, third time lucky,” Swiatek said during the ceremony. “I really feel like it’s been a team effort this year. Hubi, coming back after so many months. You played great. You inspired determination in all of us. I feel like you improved every part of our game. Our tag team, wow! You beat everyone. Awesome.”
“This moment is really bittersweet,” Bencic said. “We can be proud of ourselves and we really deserve to celebrate that. This has truly been one of the best weeks of my life.”
Hulkac blasted 18 aces off Wawrinka and saved eight of the nine break points he faced, highlighting the only chink in the 40-year-old’s armor this week. Although he had a crucial break opportunity on his way to winning the second set, the three-time Grand Slam champion converted just two of 23 break points in his five singles matches.
Hurkacs won four of his five singles matches this week, including two wins over Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz, competing for the first time since last June.
The 28-year-old has found redemption after two heartbreaking near-misses in the last two Manchester United Cup finals. In 2024, he gained two championship points before losing to Zverev. Fritz spurned his advances in the third-set tiebreaker last year.
“He’s definitely an inspirational guy. I grew up watching him play, compete and win so much,” Hulkac said after beating Wawrinka. “Obviously his style of play is very strong. The shots he can finish sometimes, even if you’re on the other side of the net, you can really admire them.
“It’s a little annoying sometimes when they come up with something [those shots]. Good times for him, bad times for me, but it was a joy to compete against him. “
In the first match of the day, Bencic defeated Swiatek 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, continuing his unbeaten record.
“Playing against her is always a challenge and every time I play against her I look for ways to improve and make her life more difficult,” Bencic said on court. “I think the difference today was I was playing very freely, I was really enjoying myself on the court and I was working really hard.”
Bencic has won 12 of her last 15 matches, her second win against the world No.2. The opening set looked set to go to Swiatek, but the pendulum soon swung the momentum in Bencic’s favour.
Swiatek started strong early, holding serve for four points in the first set, then broke serve first and held serve again. With Swiatek leading 3-0, Bencic entered the match, winning two consecutive games and narrowing the gap to 3-2 after winning a backhand at the third break point.
The world No. 2 eventually won three of the next four games, including twice breaking Bencic’s serve to close out the set. Swiatek won the set 6-3, hitting a cross-court backhand winner that the Swiss couldn’t reach.
In the second set, however, Bencic dominated. Bencic scored nine consecutive points in the second set and saved two break points in the third game. In the next game, she won a crucial break opportunity at her third opportunity and completed the set in 33 minutes.
“Honestly, I felt like I was part of the game from the beginning,” Bencic said. “I thought I was going to do well, but I was down 0-3. I thought ‘OK, what am I going to do.'” I guess I just tried to stay level and wait for some opportunities. “
After holding serve for three consecutive games, the third game began and Bencic reached a turning point. Setting up the break point with a powerful forehand, she seized the key point and returned Swiatek’s serve with a convincing backhand winner. Swiatek fought until the last point, held serve in two games, and saved two match points with a pair of aces. But when Swiatek trailed 5-3, uncharacteristically committing 36 unforced errors to her opponent’s 10, Bencic won three match points and sealed the match with a backhand winner.
