We've got one quarter-final pick from the WTA Berlin Open today, and it's a first-time meeting on grass between two players who've had very different runs to this point in the tournament.
WTA Berlin Tennis Open Predictions
Elina Svitolina vs Alexandra Eala
Head-to-head: First meeting
Svitolina on grass is a different player from the one you see on hard courts. She's always been comfortable on the surface, her defensive instincts translate well and she's become so good at not panicking in long rallies that the faster conditions actually work in her favor rather than against her. Eala has had a breakthrough year and reaching a WTA quarter-final on grass at 19 is no small thing, but this is a big step up in quality.
That said, Eala's ball-striking is genuinely dangerous and she won't just hand this over. I think Svitolina's experience in tight moments is the difference, though, and the kind of pressure Svitolina applies on return games tends to cause real problems, especially on a surface where margins are so thin, for younger players still learning how to close out sets. Wouldn't surprise me if Eala takes one, but Svitolina should find a way through, all things considered.
Prediction: Svitolina in 3
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Credit Image: © Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire