The WTA event in Eastbourne always produces surprises. This year we’ve had Emma Raducanu make the quarterfinals and perhaps more amazingly, Jasmine Paolini make the final four despite never winning a match at Wimbledon before. Let’s see who will make the final and find the form and confidence going into the third major of the year.
WTA Eastbourne semifinal predictions
Jasmine Paolini vs Daria Kasatkina
Head-to-head: Paolini 3-1
We all know Paolini was having a great year, as evident with her amazing final run at Roland Garros a few weeks ago, but not many expected that to immediately translate onto the grass, a surface where she’s never won a match on at Tour level. In fairness, she was handed a withdrawal 5-2 up in her first match here but absolutely routing Katie Boulter, a good grass-courter, in the quarterfinals 6-1 7-6(0) was more than surprising.
With Russian Kasatkina, you know what you’re going to get, as Emma Raducanu found out in the last round getting routed. The big question is whether Paolini can grind Kasatkina down enough on a grass court, on paper you would probably think not but with the way she’s playing and the form and confidence she has right now, it’s perhaps not impossible.
Prediction: Paolini in 3
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Leylah Fernandez vs Madison Keys
Head-to-head: Keys 1-0
Believe it or not, this is only the Canadian’s fifth semifinal on Tour since making the US Open final back in 2021. For all the potential we know she has, she’s struggled to put it together and maintain fit these past few years. Still only 21, she’s looked supreme in her last five sets in Eastbourne losing just eight games in all combined. Things get a lot harder in the semis though with former Wimbledon semifinalist and defending champion Madison Keys in the next round.
Keys’ game is perfect for the grass as evident with her two titles here and will look to dictate, hit through the 21-year-old and serve her off the court. With just one match played on the grass this year though due to her quarterfinal opponent, Karolina Muchova, pulling out, it’s hard to tell what sort of form the American is in. With that in mind, this might be Fernandez’ best chance of her first grass court final. If the Canadian can serve well and utilize her forehand to the level we know it can be at, this will be interesting.
Prediction: Fernandez in 3
Main Photo Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports