United Cup
Suffocating Swiatek gives Poland 1-0 lead over Aussies in United Cup QF
Former World No. 1 drops just two games to Maya Joint
January 09, 2026
2026 Getty Images
Iga Swiatek gives Poland a 1-0 lead over Australia in the United Cup quarter-finals.
By ATP/WTA Staff
Poland’s Iga Swiatek overpowered Australia rising star Maya Joint Friday, capturing a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win in just 57 minutes at the United Cup quarterfinals.
Swiatek now has her country on the verge of reaching the semifinals at the tournament for the fourth straight year, needing just a victory in the men’s singles between Hubert Hurkacz and Alex de Minaur or mixed doubles.
From start to finish, the World No. 2’s experience prevailed as the Swiatek earned her second career win over Joint: Swiatek won 6-0, 6-2 in the Seoul semifinals, a tournament she’d go on to win. Swiatek also earned her 15th singles win at the United Cup.
“I think the intensity — the balls get quite heavy so I’m happy that I was always pushing forward,” Swiatek said on court. “I got pretty confident at the end so for sure it was a good match.”
Joint held serve to have an initial 1-0 lead, but after, the Swiatek show ensued. The six-time Grand Slam champion overwhelmingly controlled the rallies, often forcing Joint to scramble from side-to-side just to keep the rally alive.
Swiatek won six straight games to win the first set with a breadstick in 26 minutes and had garnered “Iga” chants from her Polish supporters early on into the match. Her set point, a cross-court forehand winner that sped past an outstretched Joint, summed up the match best.
In the second, Swiatek and Joint traded holds, the latter of which earned some encouragement from the home crowd. Similarly, Swiatek recaptured the lead with a break, and didn’t look back, en route to the double breadstick win.
