United Cup, Hurkacz and Belinda Bencic on the shields, Poland and Switzerland ahead

Six hundred and thirty-three. The days that passed in the career of Stefanos Tsitsipas before returning to beat a top 10. The last to fall at the hands of the Greek was the then no. 10 Casper Ruud in the final in Monte Carlo, on 14 April 2024. On 7 January 2026, reversing the prediction also given the surface, in the men’s singles of the first quarter-final of the United Cup in Perth, it was the turn of the world no. 6 Taylor Fritz: 6-4 7-5 the final score in favor of Tsitsipas, untouchable on serve. 80% of points won with the first serve and two break points saved out of two. A performance that winks at the old Stefanos, the third victory in a row (he hasn’t had since the title in Dubai in February 2025), which however wasn’t enough for his Greece to get through. In fact, the United States goes to the semifinals thanks to a super Coco Gauff, protagonist in both singles and mixed doubles. First the triumph, without appeal, 6-3 6-2 against Maria Sakkari, beaten for the sixth time in eleven matches, then the closing of the circle together with Christian Harrison, 4-6 6-4 10-8 in a balanced match against Sakkari/Tsitsipas. Third semi-final in four editions for the Americans, champions in 2023 and 2025, who will challenge the winner between Poland and Australia.

Hubi again

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But the real happy note of this United Cup, in addition to the good performances of Tsitsipas, is the return with great fanfare to high levels of Hubert Hurkacz. The former ATP n.6, after the victory over Zverev, also clearly beat the world n.25 Tallon Griekspoor, opening the door for Poland to victory over the Netherlands in the last match of the group stage. 6-3 7-6 in favor of Hubi, with 21 aces (we have 42 in two matches) and not even a break point granted, losing 7 points on serve. “I didn’t expect to come back so well, I feel better and better,” he confessed at the end of the match. Completing the Polish 3-0 was Iga Swiatek, who easily won 6-2 6-3 over Suzanne Lamens, and the Kawa/Zielinski double: 6-3 3-6 10-4 against Schuurs/Pel. Poland will return to action in the quarter-finals on January 9 in Sydney against hosts Australia, led by Alex de Minaur.

Bencic on the shields

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The other semi-finalist, again crowned in Perth in the fourth of the two revelations, is Switzerland, led by Belinda Bencic. The world no.11 remains undefeated in this United Cup, with six victories between singles and mixed doubles, decisive for the Swiss team’s progress. On this occasion, after Italy and France, it was Argentina who fell 2-1. First the victory of the Swiss n.1, 6-2 6-2 without allowing breaks and winning 8 of the last 10 points over Solana Sierra, then the rebirth of South American hopes thanks to Sebastian Baez. The Argentine, currently no.43 in the world, won three matches in a row on hard courts for the first time since the tournament (brought home) in Winston-Salem in August 2023, triumphing 7-5 6-4 over Stan Wawrinka. A solid performance, with good runs to the net and variations on the theme to wear down the Swiss champion and send everything back to the mixed doubles. There the superiority of the Europeans came to the fore, with a never-questioned victory by Bencic/Paul over Sierra/Andreozzi 6-3 6-3. Therefore, the first semi-final for Switzerland in the United Cup, where they will face the winner of the Czech Republic-Belgium, a quarter-final that will be played in Sydney on Thursday 8 January.