Katie Boulter vs Anna Bondar Prediction & Betting Tips - Lyon, France, Qualifying

Prediction published on 01/03/2022, 10:05  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 01/03/2022 at 11:49 in Tennis Predictions

One of these unseeded players will be in the quarter finals of the Lyon Open. Qualifier Katie Boulter takes on Anna Bondar in the second round with the winner up against either second seeded Sorana Cirstea or qualifier Stefanie Vogele. Bondar is the world number 79 and the Hungarian has climbed 13 places this year to her highest ever ranking. That will be beaten in the next list as Bondar is up to 76th in the live rankings. Her 2022 began with a run to the second round of the Melbourne Summer Set 1 tournament, including a win over Katerina Siniakova, who was at that time ranked 49th. Her Australian Open didn't last long though, winning just three games in her first round defeat by 10th seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Bondar then failed to qualify for the main draw in both St Petersburg and Dubai. This week has seen her beat qualifier Yuriko Miyazaki in the first round, coming from a set down to get the win.

British player Katie Boulter is ranked 136th in the world but up to 125th in the live rankings. That's still a good way below her best ever ranking of 89th achieved four years ago. Boulter was as low as 155th in mid-January after a disappointing start to the year. She failed to qualify for the Adelaide tournament and then the Australian Open. Her year continued to be a struggle with a loss in an ITF tournament to Salma Djoubri, who was the world number 467 at the time. Some form was found last month in Grenoble as Boulter won an ITF tournament. Two matches had to be won this week to get into the main draw and in the first round, she beat sixth seeded Ana Konjuh. Boulter had to come from behind to get that win.  Back Bondar to get the win here.