United Cup: Poland Into Semi-Finals With Swiatek’s Brilliance On Court

Advertisement

Poland ensured its qualification for the United Cup semi-finals on Thursday, as a gritty Iga Świątek led her team to victory over Britain in the quarter-finals. The five-time Grand Slam winner and world number two played some of the finest tennis of her life to complete a 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-4 comeback win over Britain’s Katie Boulter. Poland took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the best-of-three format and secured its place in the last four of the mixed teams tournament.

Advertisement

Świątek’s victory won in under three hours, proved to be a testament to her resilience and skill, especially after the tough start she had in the first set. The victory was her third straight singles win at the United Cup, giving her a solid launch to her 2024 season ahead of the Australian Open, which begins in less than a week.

A Thrilling and Gritty Battle: Świątek’s Determination

Against world-ranked 24 Boulter, the encounter had several swings of momentum and dramatic reversals. Świątek claimed she was really drained physically following the match: she said that four painkillers were taken during the play as she endured pains in her last set of the match. Świątek required a medical timeout when two games behind 2-1 in the decisive set. Despite the aching and exhaustion, Świątek, as she could, showed extraordinary tenacity.

“I am just exhausted,” Świątek said after the match. “This match was crazy, so many changes in momentum.” It was clear that Świątek had to dig deep to seal the victory, but she expressed her relief at the win. “I took four pain killers, a lot hurt, but happy we won,” she added, reflecting on the emotional toll the match had taken on her.

The first meeting for Świątek and Boulter was in the encounter, but the latter got a tight tiebreaker to start things off before Świątek stormed back into the second set 6-1. A match that sees breaks of service all over has come down the final set as an unpredictable yet very gripping one. Świątek sealed it when Boulter hit her forehand into the net at the first match point, then the Polish star could run back to her teammates to celebrate what was a truly hard-fought victory.

Hurkacz’s Crucial Win Gives Poland an Advantage

Świątek’s crucial victory was preceded by Hubert Hurkacz, the 16th-ranked player in the world, who gave Poland an early advantage by defeating Britain’s Billy Harris 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 in the men’s singles. Hurkacz had struggled at the start of the season, and his recent form hadn’t been the best. The 27-year-old’s win against Harris, ranked 109th, was a much-needed boost both personally and for the team with a new coach and some early-season struggles.

“Super-pleased with myself. Today was a really difficult battle with Billy,” Hurkacz said after the match. “Definitely happy to get through this one.” For Hurkacz, the win was crucial not just for Poland’s campaign in the United Cup but also for building his own confidence ahead of the upcoming major tournaments. This victory is really important for me to get some self-confidence and have another game, actually,” he added, commenting on how winning will be an impetus in regaining form.

Upcoming: Poland vs. Kazakhstan

Poland now gears up to play Kazakhstan in the semi-finals, with a 2-0 lead and both Świątek and Hurkacz delivering crucial wins. The team from Kazakhstan has been impressive in the competition so far, particularly knocking out the reigning champions, Germany, on Wednesday. Elena Rybakina, the women’s world number six, has been the reason for Kazakhstan’s success, and Poland will have to be at their best to overcome this challenge.

Other semi-finalists in the mix

Whereas Poland confirmed their position in the semis through their first game of the day, the other quarterfinals are yet to draw eyeballs. In this regard, Italy will be clashing with the Czech Republic in the battle to earn the ticket for the final four, which is to compete with the United States. The United States has earned a ticket to the next round, and the winner between Italy and the Czech Republic will join them.

With the United Cup in its last stages, one would assume that the intensity begins to pick up with the strongest elements of both squads – it is how other players like Świątek and Rybakina have fared so far, that is making fans know how hopeful they are for Poland and their teammates, respectively, to make a big push before entering the court for the Australian Open.

Świątek’s Strength and Poland’s Hopes in United Cup

Iga Świątek won in Sydney and again showed how well she handles pressure. She produced the perfect way to enter the 2024 season with a comeback win over Katie Boulter to make Poland better positioned to make a strong impact at the United Cup. The same applies to Hurkacz, whose wins also have made the country more ready for Kazakhstan in an expected exciting semi-final.

As the tournament unfolds, Świątek’s leadership and her capacity to fight through challenges will be something that will define whether Poland can win this highly categorized tournament.

ALSO READ: Overwatch Esports 2025: Epic Events You Can’t-Miss

Advertisement