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Match details
Fixture: (10) Belinda Bencic vs Wang Xiyu.
Date: 5 April 2022.
Tournament: Charleston Open 2022.
Round: First round.
Venue: Charleston, USA.
Category: WTA 500.
Surface: Outdoor clay (green).
Prize money: $888,636.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Belinda Bencic vs Wang Xiyu preview
Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic will take on China's Wang Xiyu in the first round of the 2022 Charleston Open on Tuesday.
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Bencic has had some high points this season, but consistency has eluded her so far; a deep run in one tournament has been followed by an early exit in the next. After a quarter-final showing in Sydney at the start of the season, the Swiss was knocked out in the second round of the Australian Open.
Bencic rebounded by making the semifinals in St. Petersburg, but failed to get past the opening hurdles in Qatar and Indian Wells. She then performed brilliantly in Miami, going down to Naomi Osaka in three sets in the semifinals.
Bencic has had decent results on clay in the past, with a semi-final appearance at the 2019 Madrid Open being the highlight. However, her results on the surface pale in comparison to what she has achieved on hardcourt and grass.
Wang Xiyu has primarily competed on the ITF circuit this year, with a lone quarter-final showing being her best result so far. Her only main-draw appearance on the WTA tour was at the 2022 Australian Open.
The Chinese youngster defeated Viktoria Kuzmova in the opening round, securing her very first victory at a Grand Slam. She fell to reigning Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova in the second round. Nevertheless, it marked her best showing at the Majors so far.
Her last tournament was the Miami Open, where she failed to make it past the qualifying rounds.
Belinda Bencic vs Wang Xiyu head-to-head
This will be the first encounter between the pair, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Belinda Bencic vs Wang Xiyu prediction
Given the vast gulf in their rankings and experience on the WTA tour, Bencic will be the overwhelming favorite heading into the contest. Neither player is a powerhouse on clay, but the Swiss' previous results on the surface will give her some confidence.
An aspect of Bencic's game that really helped her in Miami was her serve, especially her second serve. She defended well on the slow courts and didn't give away too many free points. However, her game is better suited for faster surfaces, so Wang Xiyu will certainly feel that she has a chance.
The Chinese youngster, however, will need to pounce on every opportunity that presents itself. The former junior World No. 1 possesses powerful groundstrokes and likes to be aggressive, but she too favors hardcourt and hasn't played a match on clay this year.
Bencic hasn't lost to a player ranked outside the top 100 for a while now. Despite her up-and-down form this season, she should be able to come through unscathed.
Prediction: Belinda Bencic to win in straight sets.
