It has taken Iga Swiatek a long time to figure out the grass at Wimbledon, but it looks as if she’s finally done it.
The Polish player had struggled to advance past the quarterfinals in her initial five appearances at the All England Club, leading many to speculate that she might be yet another top-tier athlete unable to adapt to Wimbledon’s distinctive playing conditions.
However, this year has seen a remarkable change. Swiatek has been impressive at Wimbledon, losing only one set throughout the competition. Additionally, she performed exceptionally well at the Bad Homburg Open, a preparatory event on grass courts.
Swiatek vs. Bencic odds, preview
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Iga Swiatek | -334 |
| Belinda Bencic | +250 |
At Bad Homburg, Swiatek reached the finals where she was bested by Jessica Pegula. However, before her finals loss to the American, she had convincingly defeated three challenging opponents in straight sets.
Bencic was able to outlast Mirra Andreeva in two tiebreakers in the quarterfinals, but the Russian only broke serve once in that match, which is not a luxury Bencic will be able to rely on against Swiatek, who is one of the best defensive players in the sport.
At her best, Swiatek is a master at getting balls back in play and grinding out long points, forcing her opponents into mistakes. That strategy isn’t easy to pull off on the grass, which usually favors speed and power, but the Warsaw native has figured out how to make it work this year.
Bencic will need to be at her best to get a foothold in this match, but there’s every chance that Swiatek doesn’t even allow her that opportunity.
Swiatek’s grass-court form is too hard to ignore, and there’s a good chance that this one is over quickly.
The Play: Swiatek -1.5 sets (-120, bet365)
