PERTH, Australia — Belinda Bencic concluded her singles group-stage play for Switzerland at the United Cup with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.

Despite Swiss legend Stan Wawrinka’s defeat to Flavio Cobolli in a three-set thriller, Switzerland can still clinch a first-place finish in Group C in mixed doubles. Jakub Paul and Bencic, who played together against France, against Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.

In the first set, Bencic and Paolini traded five straight breaks, highlighted by a Bencic backhand, crosscourt return that glided past the Italian in the fifth game. Bencic provided the game’s first hold and extended her lead to 4-2 against the World No. 8, who Bencic lost two twice in 2025 — in a three-set thriller in Ningbo and at last year’s United Cup group stage.

“I’m really happy with today’s match,” Bencic said on-court after the 1-hour and 53-minute match. “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.”

Paolini recovered quickly and held her serve, coming back from triple break point, and then broke Bencic once more, leveling at 4-4.

Just as Paolini was building momentum, Bencic, No. 11 on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, halted it. She broke Paolini with an on-the-run backhand pass down the line, one of 10 backhand winners on the evening. The World No. 11 then held her serve and took the set 6-4.

Despite holding her serve to start the second set, Paolini dropped three of the next four games. She held her serve, requiring seven games points in the deuce as Bencic was a tall task, to remain a break down at 4-3. Bencic closed the match once more with her sixth break of Paolini’s serve, and propelled Switzerland to a 1-0 lead.

Bencic is now 2-0 in singles, following her 6-2, 6-4 win over Leolia Jeanjean Saturday. Paolini will face Jeanjean in Italy’s next tie against France. 

Cobolli embraced the responsibility of the moment on Sunday, sending Italy to a deciding mixed-doubles match. The 23-year-old, who helped steer his country to its third consecutive Davis Cup title in November, produced a gutsy finish to withstand spirited 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-7( 2), 7-6 (4) to level tie tie.

Wawrinka, in his final season on tour, pulled off a dramatic third-set tie-break win over Arthur Rinderknech on Saturday. The three-time major champion remained competitive throughout much of the match against Cobolli, but was unable to generate a break point as the Italian maintained his composure.

Wawrinka and Cobolli treated the RAC Arena crowd to a captivating duel deep into the deciding set, highlighted by a moment of magic from Cobolli. He steadied himself under pressure and fired a stunning forehand winner on the run to claim a mini-break in a tense final-set tie-break en route to improving to 2-0 against Wawrinka.