Tokyo 2024: Katie Boulter vs Priscilla Hon preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Toray Pan Pacific Open
Match Details
Fixture: (9) Katie Boulter vs (Q) Priscilla Hon
Date: 22 October, 2024
Tournament: Toray Pan Pacific Open 2024
Round: First Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Hardcourt (Outdoor)
Winner's Prize Money: $142,000
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - DAZN
Katie Boulter vs Priscilla Hon preview
Katie Boulter is set to begin her 2024 Toray Pan Pacific Open campaign against Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon in the first round on Tuesday, October 22.
Boulter has enjoyed a strong 2024 season, posting a 29-19 match record and reaching a career-high ranking of No. 29. She claimed the biggest title of her career in San Diego, defeating Marta Kostyuk to secure her first WTA 500 crown, and added another title on home soil in Nottingham, beating Karolina Pliskova.
Boulter's momentum has dipped in the second half of the season. She went 3-3 during the North American hardcourt swing and recorded a 2-3 match record in Asia in the lead-up to Tokyo. Her most recent appearance was at the Ningbo Open, where she lost to sixth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the second round.
Hon, meanwhile, has spent most of this year on the ITF circuit and is still seeking her first WTA Tour win of 2024 after three unsuccessful attempts. She made the main draws in New York, Seoul, and Ningbo, but lost in the first round each time.
Hon entered the Tokyo qualifiers as the eighth seed, defeating Saisai Zheng 6-1, 7-5 in her opening match before receiving a walkover into the main draw after Aliaksandra Sasnovich's withdrawal ahead of their contest.
Katie Boulter vs Priscilla Hon head-to-head
Boulter and Hon have yet to face off in professional competition, so their head-to-head record is 0-0.
Katie Boulter vs Priscilla Hon odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Katie Boulter vs Priscilla Hon prediction
Boulter enjoyed a strong first half of the season but has struggled to maintain that momentum in the second half. She went 2-3 during the Asian hardcourt swing leading up to Tokyo and last won two consecutive matches in Toronto in August.
Hon, in contrast, has only played three main draw matches this season and lost all of them. She looked solid in her lone qualifying match this week, winning in straight sets, but has consistently struggled against higher-ranked opponents, failing to beat a top-50 player in nearly three years.
Boulter enters the contest as the clear favorite due to her greater experience and stronger run throughout the season. The slower courts in Tokyo are also expected to suit her game, as she has a wider array of shots and a strong defensive skill set.
Pick: Katie Boulter wins in straight sets.