Yuriko Lily Miyazaki vs Belinda Bencic Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA US Open

Prediction published on 29/08/2023, 15:11  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 29/08/2023 at 16:10 in Tennis Predictions

15th seed Belinda Bencic faces qualifier Yuriko Lily Miyazaki in round two of the US Open. The winner will take on either 18th seed Viktoria Azarenka or unseeded Zhu Lin in the last 32. Bencic began this outdoor hard court Grand Slam in 13th place. The Swiss player has a good record in this tournament and reached the last eight in her first visit nine years ago. Since then, Bencic has got to the last four in New York in 2019 and another quarter final two years ago. It's the only Grand Slam in which she's reached the last eight. Her form on hard courts has been good in recent weeks with the last eight reached in both Washington and Montreal. The first round of this US Open saw Bencic beat Kamilla Rakhimova in straight sets.

Miyazaki was ranked 198th at the start of this US Open but is up to 153rd after reaching the second round of this Grand Slam. The Japanese born British player only had a career high of 169th so that's been comfortably beaten. The 27-year-old is playing in only her second Grand Slam main draw. The other was at Wimbledon last year but she was given a wild card there. Not so in New York and Yuriko Miyazaki had to go through the qualifying rounds this year. Two seeded players were beaten in her three qualifiers with only one set lost. That took her into the first round where she beat Margarita Betova 6-3 6-3. Most of her year has been spent on the ITF circuit and she recently got to the last four of a hard court event held in Roehampton, England. This is far tougher and we go for Bencic to win in straight sets.