A few first-round picks from the HSBC Championships in London today, with some interesting matchups across the draw. We've got our predictions below, so let's get into it.
WTA The HSBC Championships - London Predictions
Iva Jovic vs Antonia Ruzic
Head-to-head: First meeting
Jovic is ranked higher and has had a solid season, but grass is a surface that tends to reward players who come forward and take time away from their opponents, and Ruzic does that well. Jovic is still only 19 and her game on grass hasn't really been tested at this level yet.
Ruzic has been one of the more consistent performers on the WTA tour this year and I think the surface suits her more than the rankings suggest. First meetings on grass are always a bit of a coin flip, but this feels like a match Ruzic has the tools to win, all things considered.
Prediction: Ruzic in 3
Qinwen Zheng vs Jaqueline Cristian
Head-to-head: Zheng 2-2 Cristian
A genuinely even series, and Cristian has shown she's not intimidated by Zheng at all. That said, Zheng's ranking drop this year is a bit misleading because her results haven't been as bad as 56 implies, and her power off both wings should do real damage on a grass court where the ball stays low and rallies are shorter.
Cristian is a decent grass-court player herself, so this won't be completely straightforward. Zheng wins this though, probably needing three sets to do it.
Prediction: Zheng in 3
Shuai Zhang vs Alexandra Eala
Head-to-head: First meeting
Eala has been one of the breakthrough stories of 2025 and her ranking of 37, which already felt like an understatement a month ago, only looks more conservative given how she's been playing lately. Zhang is experienced and knows how to compete on tour but at 35 she's not the force she once was and Eala's movement and aggression on grass should give her real problems.
Eala in 3 feels right here, and I wouldn't be shocked if it's more comfortable than that.
Prediction: Eala in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire