Catherine Bellis -Jennifer Brady
Goodness ! Catherine Cartan Bellis (CiCi) has had a tough time of things. She was a top Junior and burst onto the pro circuit three years ago , got onto the top 50 in double quick time (as high as 35) and had the world at her feet. At that time she was breaking all kinds of age records and was named newcomer of the year in 2017, during that season I wrote .........
Catherine Bellis is just 18 yo and only turned that two months ago, she was the number one ranked Junior in the world and is already ranked top 50 in seniors. CiCi has almost limitless potential and I have been impressed that she came to Europe early this year and the French Open is her fourth event of the season on the surface, she has wins over Gavrilova in Madrid, Bacsinszky in Marrakech, won three matches in Rome and beat last years Roland Garros semi finalist Kiki Bertens 6-3 7-6 in R2 here. She has nothing to lose, no fear and is a super quick learner, she lost in two to Bertens in Rome and turned that result on it's head and has improved next time out against almost every opponent .
She looked to have it all, including a tennis brain, was winning on all surfaces and seemed certain to break into the top 10 in 2018 at age 19, since when, not much has gone right. CiCi has been plagued by injury and for too long was trying to find a fast fix, but little worked. Eventually she had to bite the bullet and had four surgeries in June, September, November (2018) and March of 2019 on her wrist, arm and elbow.
Bellis returned to tennis in November last year after 18 months away from the game , at this year's Australian Open she defeated #22 ranked Karolina Muchova and that win and a R32 loss to Elise Mertens which went to three sets, must have offered her great hope for 2020, then we had lockdown !
Bellis has played Lexington and last week post lockdown, she has beaten Pegula ( see above) and Madison Brengle, two fellow Americans ranked inside the top 100 and faces a third today in Jennifer Brady. She also took top ten player Aryna Sabalenka to three sets last week (losing 7-5 in third set) and her confidence must be returning. Brady is a good solid player, but a journeywoman and that is not meant as a slight, but she has to bust a gut to stick at 45-50 in the rankings, has never got inside the top 40 and just doesn't have close to the potential that a fit Bellis has. Brady is 6-9 on hardcourts versus US opponents ranked top 100 including a loss to Bellis, CiCi is ranked outside the top 100 currently, but is easily of that level.
I love WTA tennis, but one thing is true and that you can return to the game after injury/ a long time out and from impossible ranking positions and it is MUCH harder to do on the ATP Tour, but it still requires a lot of work, which Bellis has done. Class is permanent and CiCi has all of it in this match up, looks on the way back and odds allow us to take a chance and I make her the best bet of the day.
2 units CiCi Bellis to beat Jennifer Brady 2.75 Pinnacle/Sportmarket Pro.
Good luck !
