Iga Swiatek’s fourth French Open title means there will be no more women’s events on the dirt until after Wimbledon. For the next few weeks, the focus is on the grass court season. Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu is one of the players set to feature on Day 1 of the WTA 250 in Den Bosch, Netherlands. We at LWOT predict all the matches taking place, including Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Arina Rodionova. Which players will reach the Round of 16?
WTA Den Bosch Day 1 Predictions
Donna Vekic vs Tamara Korpatsch
Head-to-head: Vekic 1-0 Korpatsch
Vekic suffered a brutal French Open third-round loss in a deciding set tiebreak against Olga Danilovic. Hopefully, the pain of that loss is gone and she has taken the positives from her level in Paris, which included a victory against Marta Kostyuk. The Croatian should progress comfortably against Korpatsch. The German is an awkward player to face and will retrieve a lot of shots. But Vekic’s power is likely to overwhelm her German opponent on grass.
Prediction: Vekic in 2
Elizabeth Mandlik vs Celine Naef
Head-to-head: Mandlik 1-0 Naef
Both players are currently ranked outside the Top 100. Naef is just 18-years-old, but her only previous Grand Slam main draw appearance was at Wimbledon last year. In truth, picking a winner is tough, since each woman has such limited experience on grass. Overall though, Naef possesses more natural talent, despite still being so raw at the age of 18. Mandlik’s game is also not a very natural fit for grass. Those factors make Naef a slight favourite.
Prediction: Naef in 3
Bianca Andreescu vs Eva Vedder
Head-to-head: First meeting
Although Andreescu’s talent has been clear for many years, she still shocked many with her level at the French Open. It was her first tournament back after a long injury. Many expected her to struggle, but she progressed to the third-round, falling to the eventual runner-up Jasmine Paolini. World No. 173 ranked Vedder presents an ideal opportunity to build on that momentum, even if Andreescu is a little rusty in her opening match on grass.
Prediction: Andreescu in 2
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
