Elena Rybakina vs Paula Badosa Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Cincinnati Open

Prediction published on 19/08/2021, 10:04  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 19/08/2021 at 11:58 in Tennis Predictions

An unseeded player will be in the quarter finals of the Western & Southern Open. Elena Rybakina takes on Paula Badosa with the winner facing either fifth seeded Karolina Pliskova or Jessica Pegula. Rybakina is ranked 19th in the world which is the same position that she began the year at. 2021 got off to a slow start and it wasn't until the French Open that she reached her first quarter final. The grass court season saw her get to the semi-finals at Eastbourne and the last 16 at Wimbledon where she lost in three sets to Aryna Sabalenka. Rybakina nearly won a medal at the Olympics. She lost in the semi-final and then went a set up on Elina Svitolina in the bronze medal match but lost in three sets.  Last week saw her reach the last eight in Montreal and she has a good chance here of making another quarter final. This week has seen her defeat Sam Stosur and 15th seeded Elise Mertens, both in straight sets.

Paula Badosa has had two previous matches against Elena Rybakina and they are level at 1-1. This is their first meeting in two years, Rybakina winning that in straight sets. In those two matches, five sets have been played with two going to 7-5 and a couple to tie-breaks, so this could be a tight match. Badosa began this week ranked 29th in the world, her highest ever position. The year began with her at 70th so it's been a memorable year for the Spaniard. Three semi-finals were reached before winning a clay court tournament in Serbia, though only one top 60 player was beaten. Her success on clay continued with a run to the last eight at Roland Garros. The last 16 was reached at Wimbledon and the quarter finals in the Olympics. This is her first tournament since then and she's had two three-set wins over Petra Martic and third seeded Aryna Sabalenka, losing the first set in both matches. This is going to be a fascinating match, slight preference is for Rybakina, it may take three sets to gt the win though.