After a torrid start to 2021, including over three weeks of hard quarantine in Melbourne, Charleston looks to be a great spot for Paula Badosa to kick start her year.
I was a little surprised to see Badosa here at a -2.5 game handicap today, with the Spaniard starting to show some signs of pre-COVID form in Miami last week. The three set loss to Jabeur, which had quite a controversial ending that didn’t go her way, was one of the better performances that she has produced of late. When you couple the improved form, and her comfort level on clay (albeit not green clay), I think this is a great spot for her put together a solid week of tennis.
Whilst this isn’t he true clay that we will see on both sides of the tour over the next couple of months, it is a surface that Gracheva has not seen a high volume of tennis on, especially at WTA level. Her hold/break percentages don’t stack up against Badosa over the last couple of years, and with a lack of hardcourt form of note recently, I don’t see her current form translating overly well to the clay in Charleston.
I am happy to back Badosa in here at the -2.5 game handicap for 1 unit.
Suggested Bet
1 unit Badosa -2.5 games vs Gracheva at $1.80 (-125) at Bet365