Poland Delivers Revenge, Sets Up USA Clash in Fed Cup Semifinals
9 January 2026
Match Highlights
Poland seized a shot at revenge by defeating Australia in the Fed Cup quarterfinal in Sydney, clinching the decisive mixed doubles to seal the tie.
In the singles, Iga Swiatek rolled to a straightforward win for Poland while Alex de Minaur battled hard for Australia; Jan Zieliński and Katarzyna Kawa produced a standout doubles display to close out the tie 6-4, 6-0 against John Patrick Smith and Storm Hunter.
With the win, Poland advances to the semifinals for the fourth straight year and will face defending champions the United States on Saturday. The day’s singles clashes are set to mirror last year’s final, with Swiatek meeting Coco Gauff and Hubert Hurkacz taking on Taylor Fritz. Gauff won last year’s final in straight sets, while Hurkacz suffered a narrow loss to Fritz in a deciding set.
In a dramatic night for Australian fans, De Minaur delivered one of the most resilient performances of his career, defeating Hurkacz 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to push the tie to a deciding doubles.
De Minaur saved all nine break points he faced in the first four games to hold serve, keeping Australia’s hopes alive after Swiatek, the former world No. 1, swept aside the Australian teenager 6-1, 6-1.
Team captain Lleyton Hewitt said he did not regret resting De Minaur for the decisive doubles, citing minor pains in the days leading up to the tie and the need to protect players given the demanding five-set format.
In terms of strategy, resetting after the second match is very tough, so the cautious approach was chosen to protect players for future ties.
Punchlines: Poland just served up a clean winner on the match point. The USA should bring a bigger racket — Poland arrives with revenge and a smile.
