WTA matches betting previews, free tips & where to watch

When to watch

BT Sport 3, from 10.15am Saturday

Best bet

Belinda Bencic to beat Elina Svitolina
1pt 6-4 Betway, Hills, Paddy Power

Preview

Elina Svitolina deserves huge credit for the improvement in her matchplay in the last 15 months, but even the WTA Finals defending champion could be vulnerable against Belinda Bencic in Shenzhen.

Bencic is a long way from being the physically strongest performer on the WTA Tour, but what she lacks in brawn she more than makes up for in terms of innate talent.

The Swiss miss wasn't mentally strong enough to withstand the barrage of shots that came her way in her US Open semi-final clash with powerhouse Bianca Andreescu.

But Bencic deserves credit for sticking to her game plan in the wake of that loss and she has eked out wins in Shenzhen when in the past she may have crumbled.

Of course, that improved steeliness may not last indefinitely, but it's a boost for her potential backers that she defeated Svitolina in Dubai in February.

Ash Barty will play Karolina Pliskova in the second semi-final, while in the ATP Paris Masters top seed Novak Djokovic's reward for a 6-1 6-2 thrashing of Stefanos Tsitsipas is a last-four clash with Grigor Dimitrov.

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