United Cup: Belinda Bencic and Stan Wawrinka send Switzerland to the knockout stage after defeating Italy in tense tie

Switzerland have backed up a brilliant showing against France to defeat Italy 2-1 in the 2026 United Cup. This win sees them top Group C and send them into the quarter-finals.

This is the first time they made it out of the group phase, and it was against a very strong Italian team boasting the likes of Jasmine Paolini and Flavio Cobolli. Nevertheless, Belinda Bencic and Stan Wawrinka were at the races on the day, and are able to send their country through.

Bencic began Switzerland's quest for safe passage into the knockout stages by defeating Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-3 in a high calibre matchup of two world class tennis players.

It is a repeat of last year's clash when Bencic, making a return to the sport, could only nab two games off Paolini as Italy routed the Swiss team. It was different this time around, with Bencic getting out of the blocks faster with a break of serve in the opening game. This would start a run of five consecutive breaks before Bencic finally held to lead 4-2. Paolini won the next two to bring it all square but a fourth break of serve from Bencic in the set managed to put her in command, as she was able to serve it out.

In contrast to the first set, just two breaks were seen in the second, both coming the way of Bencic. She raced into a 3-1 lead after surviving break opportunities from Paolini, and with her second match point sealed victory for Switzerland. “I’m really happy with today’s match,” Bencic said directly after the win. “I lost to her really close at the end of last season. I really had to organize my mind that ‘now it’s my time, I can do it.’ I thought it was a bit mental today.”

It was a dramatic matchup between Italy's Davis Cup Finals hero Cobolli and the experienced Stan Wawrinka, playing in his final United Cup. In the end, Cobolli managed to prevail 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (4).

Cobolli looked the more likelier to get himself in front in the opening stages, creating more break opportunities. He got one in the end to take a 5-4 lead before serving out the set. In fact, that would be the only break in this entire match, with both players relatively comfortable on their serves. The three-time Grand Slam champion used all the skill and experience he could muster to dominate the first of two tiebreaks.

After an other routine set, a tiebreak was needed to split the two warriors up. The Italian took the advantage, going 5-2 up before the 40-year-old attempted a comeback. In the end, he could not claw his way back to Cobolli, whose lead was enough to keep in front of his opponent and to level the contest at 1-1. It was crucial that win, as Switzerland would have confirmed the victory and top spot in Group C. 

In the end, a mixed doubles match was needed to split the two European countries in Perth. Bencic and Jakub Paul managed to cause a surprise and take down the highly respected Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori 7-5, 4-6, 10-7.

There were two trades of breaks in the first set, with nether team willing to back down. After squandering a set point earlier, the Swiss duo managed to make it right and clinch the set. The US Open mixed doubles champions replied well, going 3-0 ahead with a brace of breaks. Those were retrieved by Paul and Bencic as they made it 4-4, but they were unable to close out the match with a 10-point tiebreak needed to finish up proceedings Down Under. 

As expected, it was a very tense affair. The two outfits were constantly with each other, delivering sucker blows throughout. The biggest came at 6-6, when Bencic and Paul won three on the bounce to set them up with a whole host of match points. After letting one go to waste, they got the job done and secured top spot in their group. Italy will take on France in the final match of Group C in Perth.