A few picks from the Eastbourne qualifying round to get into today, and honestly this is a more interesting set of matches than you'd expect from qualifying. We've got some real tour-level talent on both sides of the net in all three, so let's see who's moving on.
WTA Lexus Eastbourne Open Predictions
Talia Gibson vs Madison Keys
Head-to-head: First meeting
Keys is ranked higher and has the bigger game, but Gibson at 66 in the world is no pushover, and grass is a surface that can make ranking gaps feel much smaller. Keys hasn't been the most consistent player over the last year or so, and her serve-and-forehand combination is devastating when it's working but she can go sideways quickly when it's not.
That said, Gibson has never really made a mark on grass, and I think Keys has enough firepower to get through this one even if it takes three sets to do it.
Prediction: Keys in 3
Janice Tjen vs Caty McNally
Head-to-head: Tjen 0-1 McNally
McNally's the better player right now and their only previous meeting, a straight-sets result, already went her way. On grass, her big lefty serve is a real asset and she's someone who can get hot quickly on this surface. Tjen is solid but there's not much in her game that screams grass court threat, and hard to see this being competitive at all.
Prediction: McNally in 2
Kimberly Birrell vs Barbora Krejcikova
Head-to-head: Birrell 0-1 Krejcikova
This is the most interesting match of the three. Krejcikova is a Wimbledon champion on grass and knows exactly how to use her varied ball-striking on this surface, but she's been dealing with injury and inconsistency for a while now and her ranking at 39 doesn't really reflect what she's shown recently. Birrell, the Australian, is a decent grass-court mover and has been putting together some solid results.
Still, Krejcikova's ceiling on grass is just higher and when she's finding her range with that slice and her ability to change pace, it's very hard to read. I feel like this one goes the distance but Krejcikova gets there in the end, all things considered.
Prediction: Krejcikova in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Maxwell Vittorio/ZUMA Press Wire