Iga Swiatek powered Poland to their second consecutive United Cup final with a thrilling victory over one of their most formidable opponents in their semi-final clash in Sydney on Saturday.
In a duel featuring two Top 10 talents who are also Grand Slam champions, Swiatek triumphed over Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina 7-6(5), 6-4, securing an unrivaled 2-point lead -0 for the runners-up of the 2024 edition. Hubert Hurkacz led the way for Swiatek by giving Poland a good start with a quick victory against Alexander Shevchenko.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion and one of the few players capable of regularly disrupting five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek, came into this match with a record of four wins in their last six meetings. True to her style, Rybakina started the match with powerful, deep shots that initially had Swiatek struggling, as the Polish star struggled with her forehand and gave up an early 5-3 advantage.
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Determined not to fall behind, Swiatek found her rhythm, displaying remarkable skill to get back to 5-5 after four break points. She then earned two set points at 6-5, but Rybakina valiantly held on through a long 13-minute game, forcing a tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, the first eight points were won by the restarter, but Rybakina faltered with consecutive errors, allowing Swiatek to take advantage of several set points. Finally, after 72 minutes of fierce play, Swiatek seized her fourth opportunity to win the first set.
The second set saw Swiatek miss two early break chances before finally asserting her dominance, breaking Rybakina’s serve effortlessly to take a 4-3 advantage. As the match neared its conclusion, Swiatek demonstrated exceptional defensive skills, saving a crucial break point in the final game before securing her victory, taking her singles record this season to an impressive 12-1 at the United Cup.
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Hurkacz leads Poland to the brink of United Cup glory
Earlier today, Hubert Hurkacz continued his United Cup redemption journey with a hard-hitting 6-3, 6-2 win over Shevchenko. After suffering disappointing losses to Casper Ruud and Tomas Machac in the group stage, Hurkacz bounced back brilliantly, following a successful quarterfinal against Billy Harris with a quick 58-minute win over his opponent.
Hurkacz came close to victory in last year’s finals against Alexander Zverev, where he held match points, only to see Zverev stage an incredible comeback. The current world number 2 previously teamed up with Laura Siegemund to defeat Hurkacz and Swiatek in the deciding mixed doubles.
“The last match here really boosted my confidence, and I’m getting better with each outing,” Hurkacz said.
After struggling against the power of Ruud and Machac earlier in the tournament, Hurkacz, ranked 16th in the world, turned the tide against Shevchenko, dictating play from the baseline. He demonstrated remarkable serving efficiency, placing 76% of his first serves in play and winning 80% of his first serve points, with a solid 73% on his second serves.
Shevchenko managed to find his feet in the early rallies of the second set, causing some problems for Hurkacz, notably when he managed to shift him out of the center. However, after missing an important ball at 30-30 in the fourth game, Shevchenko faltered, making three unforced errors that allowed Hurkacz to break him at zero and secure the victory.
