Paula Badosa vs Belinda Bencic Prediction & Betting Tips - Madrid, Spain

Prediction published on 04/05/2021, 16:26  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 04/05/2021 at 17:27 in Tennis Predictions

Paula Badosa needed a wild card to get into this Madrid Open. The Spaniard has made the most of it and takes on eighth seeded Belinda Bencic in the quarter finals. Badosa has been making big moves up the rankings this year. 2021 started with her in 94th place but she started this tournament 62nd. This year has seen her reach the semi-finals in Lyon and also on clay in Charleston. That run to the last four included a win over world number one Ashleigh Barty (who she could meet in the last four of this tournament). In Charleston, Badosa also had a win over her opponent in this match and that's their only previous meeting. Badosa is a former French Open Girl's Singles champion and now she's all grown up, got to the fourth round in the women's singles last year. This week has seen her beat Barbora Krejcikova, Jil Tiechmann and Anasastija Sevastova.

Belinda Bencic is ranked 11th in the world but in February of last year her ranking was a career-high fourth. 2021 has seen her get to the final of the Adelaide Internnational but didn't beat any top 50 ranked player on her way to losing to Iga Swiatek in the final. Just three matches were won in her next five tournaments and of those wins one was against a player ranked 928th in the world. Her win over Ons Jabeur on the way to this Madrid Open quarter final was a significant one. It was the first time this year Bencic had beaten a player ranked in the top 30. There was a scare before that though as the Swiss player had to go to three sets to get a win over world number 70 Bernarda Pera. Her form isn't great and Badosa can be backed to win this match.