WTA Eastbourne Day 2 Predictions Including Sofia Kenin vs Kimberly Birrell

While the draw at the WTA Eastbourne International is perhaps lacking in star power when compared with WTA Bad Homburg, there should still be plenty of entertaining tennis for the fans to enjoy on day two in Sussex. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate, including Jelena Ostapenko vs Sonay Kartal. Every player in action will doubtless be desperate to find some form ahead of Wimbledon, but who will advance?

WTA Eastbourne Day 2 Predictions

Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs Kamilla Rakhimova

Head-to-head: Rakhimova 1-0 Cocciaretto

Both players have made it through qualifying at the WTA Eastbourne International and have been playing some very good tennis during the grass-court swing. Elisabetta Cocciaretto, in particular, had a great run to the semifinals in Den Bosch and should be full of confidence at this point. While Kamilla Rakhimova won their matchup on clay last year, and looked sharp in the qualifying, in the quicker condition on the grass, Cocciaretto might just edge it.

Jodie Burrage vs Moyuka Uchijima

Head-to-head: Uchijima 1-0 Burrage

Moyuka Uchijima might be the far higher ranked player, but she really doesn’t enjoy playing on grass – which is reflected by the fact that she this will be her first match of the season on this surface. Jodie Burrage, in contrast, may not have quite grown up playing on grass, but definitely the more comfortable player of the two on this surface having enjoyed some good runs on home turf. With the support of the crowd behind her, Burrage should have enough to get Uchijima, though we can expect a close match.

Prediction: Burrage in 3

Rebecca Sramkova vs Jaqueline Cristian

Head-to-head: Sramkova 2-1 Cristian

On paper, there is not much to separate the two players in terms of current level, but Rebecca Sramkova should have the advantage in terms of both confidence and momentum after her great run to the semifinals in Nottingham. She proved that she is comfortable playing on grass, whereas the same can’t necessarily be said of Jaqueline Cristian, who has only played one match on the surface so far this year and has historically enjoyed her best results on the clay.

Sofia Kenin vs Kimberly Birrell

Head-to-head: first meeting

Sofia Kenin has been steadily climbing back up the rankings, but she is still some way short of rediscovering the level of tennis that made her a Grand Slam champion. Even back in those glory days, she nevery really enjoyed playing on grass and someone like Kimberly Birrell, especially after fighting her way through qualifying to get to this stage, can cause her a lot of problems. It could well be a very close match, decided by small details in the biggest points. But if it is, Kenin’s star quality might just shine through.

Prediction: Kenin in 3