With only a week until the third major of the season at Wimbledon, eight of the world’s top ten look to hone their grass court preparation at the Aegon International in Eastbourne.
After the women’s grass court season kicked into full gear with big events in Mallorca and Birmingham, eight of the world’s top ten head to the sunny south coast of England for their final preparations ahead of Wimbledon at the Aegon International in Eastbourne. A star-studded field is set for the WTA Premier event on the grass courts of Devonshire Park, where besides a prestigious grass court title lay on the line, the world number one ranking is also up for grabs between current top-ranked Angelique Kerber and world number two and Porsche Race to Singapore number one Simona Halep.
First quarter
Headlining the top quarter of the stacked draw in Eastbourne is world number one and 2014 finalist Angelique Kerber, who as a seed has a bye in the first round before opening against either big-serving British wildcard Naomi Broady or Czech Kristyna Pliskova. Another potentially tough match awaits the German in the third round with 16th seed Daria Gavrilova looming as a possible round of 16 opponent before possibly facing newly-crowned French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko, who begins her grass court campaign against either Ekaterina Makarova or Carla Suarez Navarro, or Eastbourne local and fifth seed Johanna Konta, who opens against a qualifier or Katerina Siniakova, in the quarterfinals.
All makes for a very tough few early rounds for Kerber on the grass, as the already struggling German looks to begin her grass court season strongly ahead of defending her points from her runner-up finish last year at Wimbledon. If the world number one can negotiate some very tough opening three matches than it bodes well for the former finalist’s confidence heading into Wimbledon, but some big-hitters in Broady, Gavrilova, Ostapenko, and Konta could very well trouble the German here in Eastbourne.
Semifinalist: Konta
Second quarter
In the second quarter of the draw, it’s led by last year’s finalist and third seed Karolina Pliskova along with three of the more in-form players on the WTA at the moment in French Open quarterfinalist and Porsche Race to Singapore number six Kristina Mladenovic, French Open semifinalist Timea Bacsinszky, and Indian Wells finalist and Madrid semifinalist Svetlana Kuznetsova. Pliskova, who cannot become world number one this week due to her finals points to defend here in Eastbourne, anchors the draw, opening against either grass court specialist Alison Riske or Frenchwoman Alize Cornet.
The third seed could then face Bacsinszky, who is not at her best on grass but opens against either a qualifier or Peng Shuai of China. After a pretty comfortable opening two rounds for the big-serving Czech, a potentially mouthwatering quarterfinal could await against ninth seed Kristina Mladenovic or seventh seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, who are on a collision course for a rematch of their highly competitive Madrid semifinal in the third round here in Eastbourne.
While there are many in-form players lined up in this quarter, the clear favorite is Pliskova, who coming off a surprise semifinal showing on her weakest surface at the French Open, is pulsing with confidence heading into the grass court season. If Pliskova can navigate past another of the most in-form and talked about players on tour this season, Kristina Mladenovic, it should be the Czech world number three reaching a second straight semifinal showing on the south coast of England.
Semifinalist: Pliskova
Third quarter
Headlining the third quarter of the draw is defending champion and fourth seed Dominika Cibulkova and another former champion at Devonshire Park who’s suffered a tough year, 2012 Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska. After a bye in the first round, Cibulkova begins her title defense against either Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko or British wildcard Heather Watson. A potentially difficult third round match looms for the Slovak, with possibly 14th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who opens against Timea Babos or Elise Mertens, a round of 16 opponent for Cibulkova. For eighth seed and 2008 champion Agnieszka Radwanska, the Pole has a very dangerous opening round opponent in either big-hitting German Julia Goerges, who is into the final in Mallorca this week, or American rising star CiCi Bellis, who fell to Goerges in the Mallorca semifinals, awaiting Radwanska in the second round. If the former Wimbledon finalist can negotiate her way past her very tough opening opponent, 2016 French Open champion and 2015 Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza could await Radwanska in the third round, barring Muguruza get past a tough first match for her as well against either Czech Barbora Strycova, a talented player on the grass, or 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard.
For eighth seed and 2008 champion Agnieszka Radwanska, the Pole has a very dangerous opening round opponent in either big-hitting German Julia Goerges, who is into the final in Mallorca this week, or American rising star CiCi Bellis, who fell to Goerges in the Mallorca semifinals, awaiting Radwanska in the second round. If the former Wimbledon finalist can negotiate her way past her very tough opening opponent, 2016 French Open champion and 2015 Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza could await Radwanska in the third round, barring Muguruza get past a tough first match for her as well against either Czech Barbora Strycova, a talented player on the grass, or 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard.
Despite a quarter loaded with former Wimbledon finalists, this draw does present an opportunity for Spanish 11th seed Muguruza to reset following a tough French Open title defense and set herself up well for a deep run at Wimbledon. With a very tough opening match for an already struggling and ailing Radwanska, it’s tough to see the 2008 winner making it to the third round, and with possibly Cibulkova or Pavlyuchenkova awaiting Muguruza in the last eight, the Spaniard seems primed to reach the last four here in Eastbourne.
Semifinalist: Muguruza
Fourth quarter
Arguably the most loaded quarter of them all in this jam-packed Aegon International draw, second seed and recent French Open finalist Simona Halep, 2009 champion and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova all feature in this stacked bottom quarter. For Halep, a semifinal appearance this week on the south coast of England guarantees the Romanian claim the world number one ranking regardless of Kerber’s results this week. Halep’s campaign begins against either American Christina McHale or a qualifier before a possible mouth-watering third round clash with 13th seed Petra Kvitova, who is into the final in Birmingham despite only playing her second tournament of the year in her inspiring comeback from a potentially life-threatening knife attack in her home.
For 2009 champion and sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki, the Dane has a potentially very dangerous opening match opponent, with big-hitting Japanese Naomi Osaka or a qualifier awaiting the former world number one in the second round. Wozniacki could have another tough test in the third round, with 2013 champion and defending Wimbledon semifinalist Elena Vesnina a possible round of 16 opponent for the former world number one. If Wozniacki can get past two very tough opening matches on the grass, her reward would be a possible quarterfinal meeting with Halep or Kvitova, a tough draw for all four seeds in this section.
If Wozniacki can hold off the powerful play of Osaka and crafty grass court game of Vesnina, the Dane should reach the quarterfinals, but with a strong, fresh Kvitova looming in the quarterfinals despite possibly having to play Halep in the third round, the two-time Wimbledon champion looks hard to beat on the grass, and that looks like it will continue this week at Devonshire Park.
Semifinalist: Kvitova
Predictions:
Semifinals: Pliskova def. Konta, Kvitova def. Muguruza
Final: Pliskova def. Kvitova
