From underdog to United Cup hero! Jakub Paul, a relatively unknown Swiss tennis player, has become the unlikely star of the United Cup 2026. This is a story of seizing opportunity, embracing teamwork, and defying expectations.
Paul, a 26-year-old player, wasn't initially slated to play mixed doubles. However, when the more established Stan Wawrinka opted out due to the demands of singles play, Paul stepped up. Ranked at World No. 81, he saw his chance.
Teaming up with Belinda Bencic, Paul has been a force to be reckoned with, winning three crucial mixed doubles matches, and a total of four matches overall. This impressive performance propelled Switzerland to its first-ever United Cup final.
"It's still surreal," Paul confessed after their semi-final victory. "I can't really believe that we are in the final yet because I don't think anyone expected this… These are the moments I practice for. We knew mixed doubles was always going to be important and Stan gave me the chance to play. So I felt I had to really be ready, give my best. Of course, I never expected to win all those four matches. Now that we're in the final, we want to give everything and let's go for the title.”
What's truly remarkable is how Paul has handled the pressure. Facing seasoned opponents like Grand Slam champions Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Andrea Vavassori, he's played with remarkable confidence. He fearlessly attacks the net, showcasing his skills.
Bencic, despite her greater experience, has encouraged Paul to take charge on the court. "It's just amazing to see him play and how brave he is," she said. Paul's approach is simple: "When Belinda tells me to go, I just go. That's a bit the doubles player coming out in me. If you make a call, you have to stick to it because at the baseline she doesn't know if I'm actually going to go or not. So it's just better to go, and it’s been working out.”
Paul's journey began like many young players, hitting balls with his father and brother. His talent led him to an academy three hours away, where he lived in dorms.
At 18, he moved to a Swiss Federation training base and made his mark in the junior ranks, even catching the eye of a tennis legend. "Roger actually saw that," Paul said. "Once I got back home Severin Luthi called me and said that Roger would like to practise because he had a house quite close to where I live in the mountains. He invited me for an evening and of course I went.”
But here's where it gets controversial...
Currently, Paul is ranked No. 341 in singles and No. 81 in doubles. He faces a tough decision: pursue potentially lucrative doubles opportunities or focus on building his singles ranking.
“It’s not an easy decision but at the moment I still want to push in singles,” he said. “I still feel I have potential and a couple of months ago I was at my highest rank of 288. On the other hand, doubles is going much better being Top 80 and I have the chance to play Slams, so it gets very interesting. I’m still playing Challengers where’s it’s possible to combine singles and doubles. If I play a doubles final on Saturday and then have to play singles qualies in a different city on Sunday, it’s difficult. For now I can still manage it, but in the end I have to pay my bills and if I can make more money in doubles, I might have to switch.”
And this is the part most people miss... For now, Paul is fully focused on the United Cup final, ready to potentially play another crucial mixed doubles match with Bencic.
What do you think? Should Paul prioritize singles or doubles? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
