Belinda Bencic powers Switzerland into historic United Cup quarterfinals
Under the soaring canopy of the RAC Arena, amidst the humid summer air and the rhythmic thrum of Swiss cowbells, history just found its first foothold in the 2026 United Cup.
The blue hardcourt still holds the heat of a five-hour emotional marathon, one that has seen Switzerland not just survive Italy, but conquer them 2-1 to become the tournament’s first quarterfinalists.
If there was any doubt about Belinda Bencic’s status as the heartbeat of this Swiss contingent, those doubts died today.
The day began with a clash of titans that felt more like a chess match played at 100 miles per hour. Bencic, now 28 and playing with a liberated, tactical maturity, stepped onto the court against World No. 8 Jasmine Paolini.
The history here was heavy. Paolini had been a persistent thorn in Bencic’s side throughout 2025. But today, the Swiss No. 1 played like someone who had spent her flight to Perth rewriting her own mental script.
“I had gotten a little bit in my head during the last few matches,” Bencic admitted afterwards, the adrenaline still visible in her eyes. “I’m really happy I overcame myself today.”
The opening set was a chaotic trade of five consecutive breaks, a baseline war of attrition that Bencic eventually tilted in her favor with a backhand that can only be described as surgical.
She struck 10 backhand winners in total, but none were as lethal as the on-the-run, down-the-line pass that broke Paolini’s spirit at 5-4. And, the 6-4, 6-3 victory was a statement of psychological evolution.
However, the Italian response was personified by the relentless Flavio Cobolli.
In what felt like a generational collision, the 23-year-old Cobolli faced off against Stan Wawrinka. For Stan, this “last dance” season is becoming a grueling test of the spirit. The 40-year-old legend has already logged six punishing hours on court this week.
The match was a masterpiece of tension. Cobolli, fresh off a Davis Cup triumph, refused to blink against the three-time major champion’s thunderous one-handed backhand.
After two hours and 50 minutes of high-octane drama, it was Cobolli who found a “moment of magic” — a full-stretch forehand winner on the run in the final-set tie-break — to snatch a 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(4) win. The tie was leveled, and the RAC Arena was vibrating.
Everything narrowed down to the mixed doubles decider where Bencic and Jakub Paul took on the seasoned Italian duo of Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.
Mixed doubles is often a game of “vibe” as much as it is “volleys,” and the Swiss pair had it in spades.
While Errani and Vavassori brought three major titles of experience to the net, Bencic and Paul brought a frantic, joyous synergy. After splitting the first two sets, the match, and Switzerland’s quarterfinal destiny, rested on a first-to-ten match tie-break.
At 7-7, the tension was thick enough to touch. Bencic took command, directing traffic and punishing anything mid-court. When they secured the [10-7] victory, the Swiss bench erupted. This win was the first time Switzerland has ever breached the quarterfinal wall at the United Cup.
“It starts with the team energy,” Bencic told the press gallery as she leaned on Jakub Paul. “We made sure we were bonding, doing stuff together. In the important moments, you feel like everyone is behind you.”
And as the lights dimmed in Perth, Switzerland sat comfortably at the top of Group C with a flawless 2-0 record. They came for the trophy; they’ve stayed for the history.
