Iga Swiatek vs. Belinda Bencic odds, picks, prediction

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 native of Poland had never made it beyond the quarterfinals in her first five trips to the All England Club, leaving many to wonder if she’d be another elite player who just could never make sense of the unique conditions at Wimbledon.

This year has been different. Not only has Swiatek been dominant at Wimbledon – she’s dropped just one set during the tournament – but she also was terrific at the Bad Homburg Open, a warm-up event played on grass.

Swiatek vs. Bencic odds, preview

Swiatek made it to the finals at Bad Homburg, where she lost to Jessica Pegula, but she defeated three difficult opponents in straight sets before falling to the American in the showpiece.

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)