The draw for the WTA event in Birmingham seems to get stronger every year, and this time it features four of the world’s top ten: Garbine Muguruza, Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova and Petra Kvitova.
Muguruza gets favourable draw
Muguruza’s draw is relatively kind and she should reach the semi-final stage at least. She faces Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in round one, followed by either Barbora Strycova or a qualifier in round two. Then Daria Kasatkina, who is yet to prosper on grass, is the Spaniard’s expected quarter-final opponent.
However, the 2017 Wimbledon champion will almost certainly have a difficult last-four match, as Pliskova, Magdalena Rybarikova and Naomi Osaka are all possible opponents.
Kvitova faces Konta in first round
Kvitova is the defending champion after she beat Ashleigh Barty 4-6 6-3 6-2 in the 2017 final, while Muguruza reached the semi-final last year. Pliskova reached the final in 2015, when she lost a very tight three-set match to Angelique Kerber. However, Svitolina is yet to taste success in Birmingham, as she went out to Camila Giorgi in the last 16 in 2017.
The defending champion will contest the stand-out first round match when she takes on Johanna Konta. If she gets through, her second round could also be tricky as it will be against either Dominika Cibulkova or Daria Gavrilova.
After that, a rematch with Ashleigh Barty in the quarter-final seems likely, and that could be followed by a last-four clash against either Elina Svitolina or 2016 semi-finalist Coco Vandeweghe. If Kvitova gets to the final again, she could play either Muguruza or Pliskova.
Tough tasks ahead for Pliskova
Pliskova is in a very tricky quarter of the draw. In round one, she takes on the woman who beat her at Wimbledon last year: Rybarikova. In round two, it will be Kristina Mladenovic or Katerina Siniakova. And then in the last eight, she is likely to face either Naomi Osaka or Elise Mertens, before a possible semi-final with Muguruza.
Svitolina seeks to master grass
Svitolina has found grass tough to master, and she only won four matches on the surface in her first four years on the WTA tour. However, she doubled that tally last year by winning a match in Birmingham and reaching the last 16 at Wimbledon.
But the Ukrainian may find it difficult to add to her collection of wins at Birmingham. In the first round, she will face a grass court specialist: 2017 Nottingham champion Donna Vekic. If Svitoliva survives the Croatian, she will take on either Alize Cornet (who famously beat Serena Williams at Wimbledon 2014) or Ekaterina Makarova.
Then the World No.4’s quarter-final could be her toughest task of all as it is likely to be against Vandeweghe. The American is very comfortable on grass and should be considered the favourite if she comes up against Svitolina.
British interest
There is also plenty of home interest at the Nature Valley Classic. Konta has a great chance of making it deep into the tournament if she can get past Kvitova. Heather Watson could benefit from a very favourable draw against Lesia Tsurenko followed by a second round against Kasatkina. And Katie Boulter, fresh from runs to the quarter-finals at Surbiton and Nottingham, will take on Naomi Osaka in a fascinating first round match.
