Tallinn Open 2022: Belinda Bencic vs Katie Boulter preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (2) Belinda Bencic vs (Q) Katie Boulter.
Date: September 28, 2022.
Tournament: Tallinn Open 2022.
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
Venue: Tallinn, Estonia.
Category: WTA 250.
Surface: Hard.
Prize money: $251,750.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Belinda Bencic vs Katie Boulter preview
World No. 14 Belinda Bencic will face off against qualifier Katie Boulter in the second round of the 2022 Tallinn Open on Wednesday.
Competing for the first time since her third-round exit from the US Open, Bencic took on home hope Elena Malygina in the opening round. The Swiss won the first set rather quickly, dishing out a bagel to claim it.
Malygina started the second set by securing a break of serve to lead 1-0. However, Bencic broke her opponent's serve twice and claimed the next three games in a row to go 3-1 up. The Estonian managed to retrieve one of the breaks, but was unable to offer further resistance after that.
Bencic ran off with the next three games to win the match 6-0, 6-2.
Katie Boulter defeated Ingrid Neel and Daria Snigur in the qualifying rounds to book her place in the main draw. She was up against Jaqueline Cristian in the first round.
Boulter started the match by jumping to a 3-0 lead. Cristian won the next two to stay within touching distance of her opponent, but still trailed by a break. The Romanian then served to stay in the set at 5-3, but after saving a set point, she lost the opener when the Brit managed to close it out on her second opportunity.
Boulter attained a 3-0 lead in the second set as well. Cristian managed to hold serve to make it 3-1, but that marked the end of the road for her. The Brit reeled off the next three games to win the match 6-3, 6-1. This was her first main draw win since Wimbledon a couple of months ago.
Belinda Bencic vs Katie Boulter head-to-head
This will be the first encounter between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Belinda Bencic vs Katie Boulter odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Belinda Bencic vs Katie Boulter prediction
Both players will be pleased with their performances in the opening round as they each scored convincing wins. Boulter dropped her serve just once, while Bencic lost serve twice. The Swiss also threw in five double faults and will need to be mindful of those going forward.
Boulter's season has been marred by injuries, frequently halting her attempts at making a breakthrough. Now that she appears to be fully fit once again, she'll be keen to score some victories. She's got a couple of top-10 wins under her belt this season, and at her best, she's quite the threat.
Bencic loves to hit the ball on the rise and take time away from her opponents. She is consistent from the back of the court and is able to mix up her shots when the occasion calls for it. Boulter is certainly a trickier opponent than Malygina, but the Swiss should be able to overcome any challenges that may arise and advance to the next round.
Pick: Belinda Bencic to win in straight sets.