The tennis carnival has moved to the Lexus Eastbourne Open this week. The top players on tour will battle it out for 250 points at the grass-court event.
Daria Kasatkina and Barbora Krejcikova are the top two seeds at the tournament. Krejcikova has only managed one win in her last three matches and will be eager to turn things around.
Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu and Jelena Ostapenko will also feature at the event. Raducanu reached the quarterfinals of the Queen’s Club last week and will be eager to continue her form in the Eastbourne Open.
Without further ado, let’s look at the line-up and predictions for Day One:
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#1) Daria Kasatkina vs Lulu Sun
First up, Daria Kasatkina will take on Lulu Sun in the first round of the Eastbourne Open.
Kasatkina has yet to make a significant impact this year. After a quarterfinal appearance in Adelaide, she reached the fourth round in Melbourne and Paris. The Australian has yet to register a win on grass, amassing early exits in London and Berlin. She was eliminated by Sonay Kartal at the Queen's Club and Xinyu Wang in Berlin.
Meanwhile, Lulu Sun has had an ordinary season so far. Apart from a third-round finish at Indian Wells, she's chalked up early exits in Melbourne, Dubai, Rome, and Paris. She will enter Eastbourne after a first-round exit in Nottingham, where she lost to Katie Boulter in straight sets.
Both players have looked dull on grass and need to raise their level ahead of Wimbledon. Considering their experience on tour and record at the highest level, Kasatkina should be able to begin with a win.
Predicted winner: Daria Kasatkina.
#2) Ons Jabeur vs Maya Joint
Next up, Ons Jabeur will take on Maya Joint in the first round.
Jabeur has had a quiet season so far. She reached the quarterfinals in Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Berlin, which are her best results on tour. She outfoxed the likes of Caroline Dolehide and Jasmine Paolini in Berlin but couldn't make her mark against Marketa Vondrousova.
On the contrary, Maya Joint has chipped in with solid results this year. After a quarterfinal rub in Merida, she clinched her maiden WTA title in Rabat. The Australian defeated Jaqueline Cristian in the final, 6-3, 6-2. She will enter Eastbourne after an early exit in Nottingham.
Jabeur is a two-time Wimbledon finalist and looked sharp last week in Berlin. She will be expected to begin well this week and make a deep run in Eastbourne.
Predicted winner: Ons Jabeur.
#3) Anna Blinkova vs Marie Bouzkova
Third, Anna Blinkova will take on Marie Bouzkova in the first round.
Blinkova has had an ordinary season so far. After a quarterfinal finish in Austin, she reached the third round in Miami and the first round in Paris. Despite a valiant effort against Donna Vekic, the Croat defeated her at the French Open, 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-1.
Meanwhile, Bouzkova has ground out some decent results so far. After quarterfinal runs in Brisbane and Bogota, she reached the third round of the French Open, where she lost to Coco Gauff. The Czech will play her first match on grass in Eastbourne.
Considering their results on tour and record on grass, Bouzkova will be a clear favorite to come out on top. The Czech should be able to dig deep and begin with a win.
Predicted Winner: Marie Bouzkova.
#4) Lucia Bronzetti vs Alexandra Eala
Lastly, Lucia Bronzetti will take on Alexandra Eala in the first round.
Bronzetti was one win away from winning in Cluj-Napoca, but was denied by Anastasia Potapova in the final. She will enter Eastbourne after early exits in Rome, Rabat, Paris, and Nottingham.
On the other hand, Alexandra Eala stunned the women's locker room with a brilliant run in Miami. After taking out Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys, she came up short against Jessica Pegula in the last four. The Filipino will enter Eastbourne on the back of early exits in Paris and Birmingham.
While Eala is still finding her feet, Bronzetti is an experienced campaigner on the main tour. However, despite the Italian's record on grass, Eala's skill set and match fitness might give her the edge in the first round.
Predicted winner: Alexandra Eala.
