Katie Boulter v Magda Linette: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Katie Boulter tends to produce some of her best stuff on a speedier surface and the British number one starts as a strong favourite for her Cincinnati curtain-raiser against Magda Linette.

Boulter made the last 16 most recently in Toronto, where she was unfortunate to bump into world number three Aryna Sabalenka, and she has won two titles this season in San Diego and Nottingham to suggest she is a rising force.

In Magda Linette, who is 32 and four years older than Boulter, she faces an extremely capable opponent that made the Australian Open semi-final as recently as last season.

This is a first competitive meeting between the pair but there are signs that Boulter is starting to put her best foot forward and she is extremely adept under these speedier conditions.

Katie Boulter v Magda Linette betting tips and predictions

Katie Boulter to win 2-1 - 11/4

Linette won a title on the Challenger Tour last month and she would appear to be in better form than Boulter, having lost only two of her last nine matches.

However, the Pole’s recent upturn in form has come on the slower surface and she has a bit more to prove under these faster conditions, having lost 10 of her last 13 hard-court matches.

Boulter may have lost three of her last five matches, but wins over Bernarda Pera and Beatriz Haddad Maia in Toronto last week suggest that there is little wrong with her performances.

It is worth noting that Boulter won a title in San Diego in March, overcoming the talented Marta Kostyuk in the final, and she made the fourth round in Miami. Both of those tournaments would be played under similar conditions to this.

In fact, the Leicestershire star has lost only six of her 19 hard-court matches this season and four of those defeats came against players higher-ranked than her, something Linette is not.

So Boulter is fancied to hold the aces but, rather than taking the 4/7 on offer for her winning, the 11/4 for the British star to triumph 2-1 could represent the value.

Linette has lost nine of her last 12 hard-court matches but seven of those defeats came in a deciding set.

Boulter, meanwhile, has dropped at least a set in each of her last four assignments and she can go through lulls in her matches before hitting top stride.

Linette will understand the importance of making a strong start, so she could win the opening set and that is available at 6/5, but it is hard to envisage her winning the contest.

Katie Boulter 5+ aces - 4/5 

Standing at 6ft, it should be no surprise that Boulter comes armed with a big serve and the Briton will be targeting plenty of aces against Polish opponent Linette.

If anything, these faster conditions will be a greater advantage to Boulter given her powerful style of play and, despite losing 6-3 6-3 to world number three Sabalenka last time out, she still fired in five aces.

Boulter had six aces in the opening round of that tournament in Toronto against Pera and she can have at least five more against Linette, who is much smaller than the Brit and more renowned for her speed and movement rather than her raw power.

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Katie Boulter v Magda Linette odds

Katie Boulter - 4/7
Magda Linette - 11/8

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.