It’s a stacked Wednesday schedule at the 2023 WTA Rothesay International in Eastbourne as all eight second-round matches have to be completed. Jelena Ostapenko will try to keep her win streak going, while Daria Kasatkina and Karolina Pliskova should be engaged in a thrilling contest. Who do you think will reach the quarterfinals? We also look at the day’s four other matches in a second article.
WTA Eastbourne Day 3 Predictions
Petra Martic vs Beatriz Haddad Maia
Head-to-head: 1-1
These two have actually already played each other on grass before, but that was eight years ago. Beatriz Haddad Maia survived another marathon on Tuesday as she managed to take out Marie Bouzkova. She’s definitely working towards a bit of a reputation for thriller wins and might need another one of these against Petra Martic. The Croat’s all-court tactics and excellent slice work great on grass, but it’s hard not to admire the mental toughness Haddad Maia is presenting.
Prediction: Haddad Maia in 3
Jelena Ostapenko vs Harriet Dart
Head-to-head: First meeting
That’s now six wins in a row for Jelena Ostapenko as she won the title at Birmingham last week. The Latvian did it in her own style with many ups and downs, coming back from 4-6 0-4 against Magdalena Frech and winning four matches in three sets. This match will very likely be on her racket again. Harriet Dart seems to have a knack for upsets at home, but she doesn’t have much she could stand up to Ostapenko with. Let’s see how steady the 2021 champion will be.
Prediction: Ostapenko in 2
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Daria Kasatkina vs Karolina Pliskova
Head-to-head: Pliskova 2-1
Interestingly, these two played three times in 2016 only to never bump into each other again until this event. Daria Kasatkina has a better record on grass than you’d expect with her playstyle. She also seems to be in better form than Karolina Pliskova with the Czech’s retirement win over Elise Mertens here coming in a real time of need. Her serve often shines on this surface and it probably makes her the favorite here, but she needs to find her rhythm quickly.
Prediction: Pliskova in 3
Jodie Anna Burrage vs Coco Gauff
Head-to-head: First meeting
Up until last year, Jodie Anna Burrage had a pretty disastrous record on the grass but now she’s making it work. The Brit finished runner-up at the WTA 250 in Nottingham recently and while she lost in the qualifying here, she took full advantage of the lucky loser entry. Coco Gauff will likely end her run though. The American got demolished by Ekaterina Alexandrova in Berlin last week, but Burrage doesn’t have that sort of flat-hitting and power she could direct at Gauff’s vulnerable forehand.
Prediction: Gauff in 2
Main Photo Credit: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
