Belinda Bencic worked another double shift at the United Cup on Saturday, and once again the Swiss stole the show.
Bencic took out Elise Mertens in a grueling three-setter 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(0), then teamed with Jakub Paul in mixed doubles to knock out Elise Mertens and Zizou Bergs 6-3, 0-6, 10-5 to send Switzerland into Sunday’s final against either Team USA or Team Poland.
Stan Wawrinka, who appeared in the Switzerland box with his sensational “Belinda’s World” t-shirt, fell short in his singles match against Zizou Bergs, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-3, which forced a deciding doubles rubber.
26-year-old Bergs, ranked No.42, has had a great United Cup, earning a pair of Top-20 wins (over No.5 Auger-Aliassime and No.18 Mensik) and going 3-1 overall in singles. He broke open the final set with a break for 5-3 and finished winning the final three games.
But the Swiss, thanks to Bencic, powered on despite Bergs’ heroics. But don’t forget to credit Paul, the world’s 341st-ranked doubles player, who has teamed with Bencic four all four of her mixed doubles wins, including three in match tiebreaks. He was instrumental in getting the victory, making a lunging backhand smash on a break point that kept Switzerland ahead in the opening set and making several other decisive plays as Switzerland pulled away in the match tiebreak.
In stifling heat, 28-year-old Bencic earned her first career win over Mertens despite dropping a singles set for the first time all week.
More to follow…