We've got three picks from the Eastbourne second round today, and there's at least one result here that I think could catch people off guard. Let's get into it.
WTA Lexus Eastbourne Open Predictions
Jelena Ostapenko vs Zeynep Sonmez
Head-to-head: Ostapenko 1-0 Sonmez
On paper, Ostapenko on grass looks like a nightmare draw for anyone. She won this tournament back in 2021 and her flat, aggressive ball-striking can be a real handful when it's working. But that's exactly the issue, when it's working. Ostapenko's level fluctuates wildly and she's had stretches this year where the unforced errors have just piled up and opponents have been able to hang around long enough to take over.
Sonmez is a grinder who doesn't panic, and I feel like on a day where Ostapenko isn't connecting cleanly, that kind of consistency becomes a real problem. The one previous meeting went Ostapenko's way, but grass in a best-of-three format is a coin flip at the best of times and Sonmez in three doesn't feel crazy at all.
Prediction: Sonmez in 3
Mccartney Kessler vs Madison Keys
Head-to-head: Kessler 0-1 Keys
Keys has been playing some of her best tennis in years and her power off both wings translates well to grass, where the ball stays low and the pace she generates is hard to handle. Hard to see Kessler troubling her here at all, and Keys won their only previous meeting, fairly comfortably by all accounts, without much drama.
Prediction: Keys in 3
Tatjana Maria vs Tereza Valentova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Maria is one of those players who genuinely comes alive on grass. Her slice, her angles, the way she changes pace, it all clicks on this surface in a way it doesn't anywhere else and at 36 she's still dangerous here specifically. Valentova is 60 spots above her in the rankings but grass is a different world and Maria's experience at this level counts for a lot in a close match. That said, the ranking gap is real and Maria will need to be close to her best. She should still find a way to get through here, all things considered.
Prediction: Maria in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Marcin Cholewinski/ZUMA Press Wire