UNITED CUP

January 3, 2026

Stan Wawrinka

Belinda Bencic

Jakub Paul

Team Switzerland

Press Conference

Team Switzerland - 3

Team France - 0

THE MODERATOR: Stan, just as the team captain, if you can give your thoughts on everyone's performance, including your own.

STAN WAWRINKA: Yeah, it's been a great day for us thanks to Belinda to play so well and to show us the way. We are just living in Belinda's world, so we're enjoying that. Thank you.

BELINDA BENCIC: That's not even true.

STAN WAWRINKA: That's true. The reason we're here is because of her and she show us everything.

Jakub was great today. He show up. He was ready for the mixed doubles. It's not easy in his position, because we talk before the tour, and I told him I want to play, but we don't know. So it's great that he was ready, and he could play that well.

So as the captain, I'm really happy with the score today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Just to Stan, I'm curious, what is it like being on the other side and giving advice and having that role as a different side, I guess? To Belinda, what is it like receiving that advice and interacting with Stan in that way?

STAN WAWRINKA: It's great. It's not the first time. I was a few years ago already captain in United Cup. I enjoyed that part.

I think it's great that we can talk together, that we can share things on the court. Not only I try to help, but I can also learn for myself and for tennis in general.

So I really always enjoy to have conversation about the game, about tennis, about how they feel, about what they want to do, and how we see it from outside.

BELINDA BENCIC: For me, it's also great. Sometimes even a bit surreal. You know, you have Stan Wawrinka coaching you on the bench.

Of course, the first time in Brisbane when we played, I was quite nervous when he was watching, but now it's okay. He's supporting a lot. It's just the energy of all the bench actually that is just really nice when you are playing.

Q. Stan, great playing today. To beat a top-30 player in the heat at 40 years of age, first match of the year, is that what you would call a statement win?

STAN WAWRINKA: I would have loved a quicker win, but no, you know, this is why I keep playing. I'm passionate about the game. I'm always going to push my own limit. I've said I've been working hard this off-season. Even if it's my last year, I don't just want to play to play. I want to play to compete and try to win.

So, of course, I'm super happy with the performance today, with the win. It was a tough fight, big fight, but I stayed quite positive and really focused on my own discipline during the game. I try to find solution, always try to find the better way of playing. When I got the opportunity to finish, I went for it.

So I'm happy with that.

Q. Was there any part of the match or any patterns of play within the match that you found most challenging en route to victory?

STAN WAWRINKA: I think many things, but I think the most challenging is when it's the first match of the year. You're not completely relaxed. You don't completely feel confidence with what you are doing. You are thinking a little bit about what you've done in practice and how you want to play.

There's many thoughts in your mind that shouldn't be there. That's the most challenging.

Also, then to play the first match, like you say, I'm not young anymore. Three hours plus. So it was challenging physically, of course.

Q. Jakub, can I ask for your thoughts as you saw this match stretching towards a third hour? You must be thinking, wow, this is going to help my chances of maybe getting a run in the mixed doubles. What was going through your mind deep in that third set, and also, just how ecstatic are you to help Switzerland get that third win?

JAKUB PAUL: No, of course, I was hoping for a long match to increase my chances to play. Yeah, honestly when he had the set point in the second set, I was kind of thinking it could be my chance as well if he wins the match. But, of course, the most important thing was that he wins his singles.

Then, yeah, I was really happy that I got the news at the beginning of the third set that I can play. Yeah, in the end I was just really excited to play. I was ready to play, and it was great to play with Belinda and have Stan on the bench.

It was different kind of pressure for me, but it was nice to get some advice from two great players.

Q. Regarding your singles match, I believe that was your first time on tour that you got to compete against Leolia. After the off-season with the couple of months off, how tricky is it to prepare for someone you've never faced before? Obviously I'm sure you can study them on film, but I guess talk about your preparations with her.

BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, I think, as Stan says, I think this is the most difficult. After a time where you're not playing, I think you're not in the flow of the match rhythm so much.

Of course, the off-season gets shorter and shorter every time, so it's not like I haven't played for a long time, but still, it's a bit different. Yeah, it's something you are thinking in practice.

I think I just tried to keep it very simple today, tried to keep playing my game. Of course, I studied her a bit, but in the end, I think in the match you kind of adapt to your opponent. Yeah, that's it.

Q. Talking about your net play, you won plenty of net points at the net and the majority of them. Was that an additional focus this off-season that you were trying to hope to bring into 2026?

BELINDA BENCIC: It's something for sure I want to keep doing. I think it's part of my game. So it's not something I started to do just now, but of course, it's something I want to do more.

Q. Before you are heading onto the court for your singles match, the screen showed you juggling. I was curious, when did you learn to juggle? Kind of how does that help you?

BELINDA BENCIC: I learned pretty early. I think every tennis player has to know how to juggle to have a little bit coordination. For me it's a good warmup for the eyes. It's part of my routine, so I don't really think about it anymore.

Yeah, I always like to kind of warm up with a little bit of, like, balls and just to warm up the eyes.

Q. Belinda, I thought you served really well today the whole day, aside towards the end of the singles match with the sun. How challenging was the sun? I'm curious in general about your serve. I think towards the end of last season you abbreviate and changed it, right? What was that process like, changing your motion?

BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, we changed the motion a little bit. I don't think it affected so much my whole rhythm of the serve. I just kind of go from up.

It was something that we just decided pretty quickly to do. I think it's for the better now. I feel much better with my serve.

Yeah, that game was just really tricky. I mean, I should have found a way to make it better. So I'm going to think of something when this happens next time, because in Australia you always get into the situation where you just have the sun straight in your toss. We have to find a way.

Q. Since we're in an ATP and WTA event, I'm curious what you made of the Battle of the Sexes event a few weeks ago and particularly Sabalenka saying that she thought it would somehow take women's tennis to another level?

BELINDA BENCIC: My personal opinion is that it shouldn't have been called Battle of the Sexes, because that was something else. Yeah, it was a nice exhibition.