Cincinnati 2020: CiCi Bellis vs Oceane Dodin preview, head-to-head & prediction | Western & Southern Open

Catherine ‘CiCi’ Bellis comes into the 2020 Western & Southern Open in a rich vein of form. The 21-year-old American made it to the quarter-finals at Lexington last week, before losing to eventual runner-up Jil Teichmann. Bellis then battled past Madison Brengle and Ysaline Bonaventure in the qualifying rounds in New York to set up an opening round clash against France’s Oceane Dodin.

The Frenchwoman has come through the qualifying rounds herself, beating both Misaki Doi and Paula Badosa in straight sets. Dodin has a healthy 14-7 W-L record in 2020, and will be looking to improve that even further at the Western & Southern Open.

Oceane Dodin

The resurgent CiCi Bellis is trying to find her way back to relevance after a few years of misfortune. The talented American had cracked the top 40 of the WTA rankings as a teenager, but then fell away due to a number of severe injuries.

The youngster will now be looking to make an impact during the American hardcourt swing and continue her upward climb. All the elements of her game have been working well lately, and she will hope to sustain her form against Oceane Dodin and beyond.

CiCi Bellis vs Oceane Dodin head-to-head

CiCi Bellis has never played Oceane Dodin before

This first round match at the Western & Southern Open will be the first time CiCi Bellis and Oceane Dodin are facing each other on the tour. Hardcourt incidentally is the surface of choice for both players, so they will look to assert their dominance early in the match.

CiCi Bellis vs Oceane Dodin prediction

Oceane Dodin will not have it easy against CiCi Bellis

CiCi Bellis has a more well-rounded game than her opponent, who relies mostly on her powerful forehand. The 21-year-old will likely enjoy this match-up due to her superior court-positioning and footwork.

Dodin is someone who likes to stay on top of the baseline and hit the ball deep, but Bellis will be more than up to the task thanks to her quick feet. The American can take control of this match by inviting Dodin to the net, as the Frenchwoman really struggles in that department.

Oceane Dodin will likely find the going tough, but can bring about an uncertainty in the mind of Bellis if she starts well. It remains to be seen if she can sustain her aggressive brand of play over the entire match though.

Prediction : CiCi Bellis to win in three sets.

Match details

Tournament: Western & Southern Open 2020

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA

Category: WTA Premier 5

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $1,950,079

Match timing: 11 am EDT (8:30 pm IST)

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN