Meet Jakub Paul, the Cinderella story of the United Cup 2026 | ATP Tour
United Cup
Meet Jakub Paul, the Cinderella story of United Cup 2026
The famous Swiss has won all four mixed doubles rubbers with Belinda Bencic
January 10, 2026
2026 Getty Images
Another day, another win for Belinda Bencic and Jakub Paul in the United Cup.
Written by Paul Macpherson
The United Cup has its own Cinderella story.
Jakub Paul, a 26-year-old Swiss, wasn’t sure if he could play mixed doubles in the tournament. But with Stan Wawrinka previously tipped to play mixed doubles before the tournament due to back-to-back three-hour marathons, an opportunity arose. World No. 81 took it.
Partnering with Belinda Bencic, Paul won three individual rubbers and four overall to play a key role in sending Switzerland to its first United Cup final on Sunday.
“For me, it’s still surreal,” Paul told ATPTour.com in Sydney after he and Bencic beat singles stars Zizou Bergs and Elise Mertens in Saturday’s semifinals. “I can’t believe we’re in the finals right now because I don’t think anyone expected this…
“But these are the times I practice. We knew that mixed doubles will always be important and Stan gave me the chance to play. So I thought I should be really ready, give my best. Yes, I didn’t expect to win all those four matches. Now that we are in the final, we want to give everything and let’s fight for the title.”
What is remarkable is how Paul faced the challenge as players like Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Andrea Vavassori stood on the other side of the net.
Rather than being overwhelmed by the big stage and playing for his country, he has played tennis without fear, hunting with confidence and firing shots past his opponents in the net.
Despite having more experience, Bencic empowered Paul to adopt a ‘big and bossy’ attitude on the court. “It’s amazing to see him play and how brave he is,” she said.
“When Belinda tells me to go, I just go,” said Paul. “That comes from me as a two-time player. When you call, you have to stick to it because you don’t know if I’m going to go or not. So it’s better for me to go, and it worked well.”
Paul took up the sport like many children, tagging along with his father and older brother at his local club in Chur. When his potential became apparent, Paul moved to a school three hours away in Kreuzlingen, staying in the dormitories and returning home on weekends.
“I don’t really like change and when I was 13 I didn’t want to leave home but after a few months I was able to handle it well and I really liked it, I stayed for five years,” said Paul.
At the age of 18 he moved to Biel to train at the training center of the Swiss Federation and in the same year when he played his only singles at the junior Grand Slam, he qualified for the US Open boys event and won two rounds. That led to a meeting with Roger Federer.
“Roger really saw that,” said Paul. “When I returned home, Severin Luthi called me and said that Roger would like to practice because he has a house near where I live in the mountains. He invited me that night and I went.
Currently No. 341 in the PIF ATP Singles Rankings and No. 81 in doubles, Paul is caught between giving up potentially lucrative doubles opportunities at the Tour-level in an effort to build his singles ranking at the ATP Challengers.
“It’s not an easy decision, but at the moment I still want to push for singles,” he said. “I still feel strong and a few months ago I was at my highest level of 288.
“On the other hand, doubles is doing much better being in the Top 80 and I have the opportunity to play Slams, so I’m very happy.
“If I play a doubles final on Saturday and then I have to play singles in another city on Sunday, it’s tough. I can handle it now, but eventually I have to pay my bills and if I can make double the money, I might have to switch.”
But for at least one more day, Paul’s full focus is on [mixed] doubly so as he ponders the chances of getting ready for another tie-breaking tie with Bencic in the United Cup final.
