WTA Madrid Open predictions, odds and tennis betting tips: Swiatek a short price to follow up Stuttgart success

Where to watch the WTA Madrid Open

Live on Amazon Prime, from 10am Tuesday

Best bets

Paula Badosa to win Madrid Open
0.5pt each-way 22-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Petra Kvitova to win Madrid Open
0.5pt each-way 50-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

WTA Madrid Open outright preview

Iga Swiatek served up a timely reminder that she is in a class of her own on clay when triumphing in Stuttgart on Sunday and the Polish world number one is justifiably a short-price favourite to follow up in Madrid.

Swiatek sauntered past world number two Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 6-4 in the title decider in Germany and considering that was her first start since losing to Elena Rybakina in the semi-final at Indian Wells in March, there should be plenty more to come.

However, winning the French Open for a third time in June will be her top priority and she has had her injury concerns this season, so piling in at even-money is not the approach to take.

It does, though, rule out those players housed alongside Swiatek in the top half, leaving Petra Kvitova and Paula Badosa as the each-way alternatives in what looks a wide-open bottom section.

Second seed Sabalenka could be vulnerable given her recent exertions in Stuttgart while defending champion Ons Jabeur, seeded four, needs to prove her fitness after withdrawing during her semi-final showdown against Swiatek last week.

Badosa’s performances have steadily improved as the season has progressed and having made the quarter-finals on the clay of Charleston, she repeated the trick in Stuttgart last time out, taking Sabalenka to a deciding set.

The Spaniard was a semi-finalist in Madrid two years ago and appears to be edging back towards that level, which could make her a lively outsider given her decent draw on home clay.

Kvitova, on the other hand, is a three-time winner of this tournament. She has taken a well-earned break since winning the Miami Open earlier this month, so the Czech could be dangerous to underestimate given that she will return fresh in Madrid.

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