Three Grand Slam women’s champions are scheduled to play on Day 3 of the WTA 250 in Eastbourne. These include 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu and 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko, whose matches are among four predicted in this article. The remaining contests, including Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova vs Jodie Burrage, are predicted separately.
WTA Eastbourne Day 3 Predictions
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs Kimberly Birrell
Head-to-head: First meeting
Pavlyuchenkova’s opening match could not have been closer. She overcame Viktoriya Tomova 9-7 in a deciding set tiebreak after a battle containing several momentum shifts. Birrell has not dropped a set in three matches since qualifying, including beating 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the previous round. I doubt Pavlyuchenkova will get away with the inconsistency she showed in the last round. Grass is the 2021 French Open runner-up’s worst surface, and Birrell has a good chance of winning.
Prediction: Birrell in 3
Peyton Stearns vs Kamilla Rakhimova
Head-to-head: Stearns 1-0 Rakhimova
Rakhimova won in three sets against Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the last round, but I doubt she will go any further. Grass is not Stearns’ favorite surface, but the American’s greater firepower is capable of getting her through this match. It is important that this year’s Italian Open semifinalist remains patient when Rakhimova is getting a lot of balls back into play and trying to rely on Stearns making unforced errors.
Prediction: Stearns in 2
Jelena Ostapenko vs Alexandra Eala
Head-to-head: Eala 1-0 Ostapenko
This is a fascinating matchup. Eala beat Ostapenko during her amazing run at the Miami Open in March. She also only dropped one game against Lucia Bronzetti in the opening round. When she executes it, Ostapenko’s flat hitting can be almost unstoppable on grass. Predicting whether the Latvian will achieve that is always challenging. Nonetheless, Ostapenko’s ball striking on a fast, low-bouncing court could overwhelm Eala, who may not have played against that style in those conditions in her career.
Prediction: Ostapenko in 2
Emma Raducanu vs Maya Joint
Head-to-head: Raducanu 1-0 Joint
Joint made a mockery of concerns about her lack of grass court experience in the opening round against Ons Jabeur. Raducanu will need her best tennis if the Australian teenager plays that well again. The home favorite was emotional after beating Ann Li from a set down in the opening round after recent injury issues and being touched by the crowd’s support. Raducanu is very good on grass when she is confident. That victory and the crowd support might have been what she needed to flourish in Eastbourne.
Prediction: Raducanu in 3
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