Katie Swan vs Belinda Bencic Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Wimbledon Championships

Prediction published on 02/07/2023, 05:45  by Devesh Jaganath in Tennis Predictions

World number 14 Belinda Bencic will take on 147th-ranked Katie Swan in the first round of the eagerly-awaited 2023 Wimbledon on Monday. The winner of this match will go on to meet either Danielle Collins or Julia Grabher in round two. Bencic comes into this tournament after losing in the first round at Roland Garros against lucky loser Elina Avanesya. The Swiss has had no real preparation since then, as this will be her first match on the grass this year, while most other competitors have played in at least one grasscourt tournament since France. However, Bencic has fared well on the grass over the years, maintaining a positive record of 18-9 on the surface since 2019. Her best finish at Wimbledon was the fourth round, though she does have five grasscourt WTA final appearances under her belt and one title. She is 20-7 in 2023 and has earned two titles and a runner-up medal to date. While her preparation may be questionable, the Swiss will be determined to avoid a second consecutive Grand Slam first-round upset. 

Meanwhile, Swan’s season perhaps hasn’t gone according to plan just yet as she comes into this tournament about level in ranking with where she began the year. The Brit’s only performance of note came at the W100 Surbiton tournament last month, where she narrowly lost to Yanina Wickmayer in the final. Before that tournament, Swan had never gotten past the second round of any ITF or WTA tournament she competed in this year. It’s going to be interesting to see her fitness levels here in London as she retired hurt in the second round of her last competition. Her record for the year is 11-3 and 5-3 on the grass. She has also never made it past the second round in Wimbledon, nor has she ever reached a grasscourt final in her career. This will be a tough one for the Brit, but she will be hoping that her opponent's lack of preparation plays in her favour.