A few second-round picks from Eastbourne today, where the grass is fast and the draw is already throwing up some interesting matchups. We've got three predictions for you, including what could be the most surprising result of the day.
Lexus Eastbourne Open Predictions
Gabriel Diallo vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Head-to-head: Diallo 1-0 Etcheverry
That one H2H win for Diallo came on hard courts at Montréal in 2023, so it doesn't tell us much about how this plays out on grass. Etcheverry is a pure clay specialist and his grass results have been minimal throughout his career, but Diallo at 6'8" is actually built for this surface. The big serve, the reach, the ability to finish points quickly, it all translates well to Eastbourne's fast conditions.
That said, Etcheverry has been one of the more consistent players on tour this year and his ranking reflects real form. Grass won't feel comfortable for him, but he's experienced enough to grind it out in three sets.
Prediction: Etcheverry in 3
Jan Choinski vs Zizou Bergs
Head-to-head: Choinski 2-1 Bergs
Choinski leads this H2H and all three of their meetings, all tight affairs that went the distance, have been close, so Bergs clearly hasn't found an answer yet. Choinski is British, grew up on this surface and Eastbourne is basically a home tournament for him. He's not ranked high enough to be seeded but he's the kind of player who lifts his level on grass, and that 2-1 head-to-head record shows he's capable of beating Bergs on a good day.
Prediction: Choinski in 3
Toby Samuel vs Juan Manuel Cerundolo
Head-to-head: First meeting
Cerundolo is another clay specialist walking into a grass-court tournament ranked 45th in the world, and Samuel is exactly the kind of opponent he doesn't want to face here. Samuel is a British wildcard, ranked 142nd but almost certainly higher in terms of actual grass-court ability, and the crowd will be firmly behind him. Cerundolo's game is built for heavy clay, long rallies, grinding opponents down, and none of that works as well when the ball stays low and skids through. Hard to see this being competitive at all. I think Samuel takes this one and it wouldn't be the biggest surprise of the week if he does it comfortably, all things considered.
Prediction: Samuel in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Dennis Agyeman/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire