A few second-round picks to get through from Ilkley today, where the grass is quick and the rankings don't always tell the full story. Let's get into it.
WTA Lexus Ilkley Open Predictions
Tatiana Prozorova vs Sinja Kraus
Head-to-head: Prozorova 1-1 Kraus
They've split their two meetings and the surface split here probably matters more than the overall record. Prozorova is the lower-ranked of the two at 172 but has been showing some decent form and grass is genuinely a surface that can level things out for players with flatter ball-striking. Kraus at 92 has the ranking advantage but hasn't made much noise on this surface in recent seasons.
I think Prozorova edges this one out across three sets, with whoever holds serve most cleanly in the first set likely setting the tone for the whole match.
Prediction: Prozorova in 3
Darja Vidmanova vs Lucrezia Stefanini
Head-to-head: Vidmanova 1-1 Stefanini
Another split series, and this one feels genuinely open. Vidmanova is the higher-ranked at 119 and has the more grass-friendly profile of the two, while Stefanini at 169 tends to do her best work on slower surfaces where she can construct points. The quicker conditions in Ilkley should make things uncomfortable for her.
Vidmanova gets through in three.
Prediction: Vidmanova in 3
Alicia Dudeney vs Ashlyn Krueger
Head-to-head: First meeting
Dudeney is the local wildcard here and the crowd will be behind her, but Krueger at 113 is a significantly more experienced player and has been competitive on tour for a couple of years now. First meetings on grass can go anywhere, and Dudeney will fancy her chances at home, but the ranking gap is real and Krueger's serve and flat groundstrokes, which look particularly well-suited to the quicker conditions, are well-suited to this surface. That said, hard to see this being competitive at all once Krueger settles into her rhythm and starts dictating on serve.
Prediction: Krueger in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire