Ons Jabeur had a decent run to the quarterfinals of last week’s Berlin Open. The 2023 Wimbledon runner-up’s attempt to go further at the WTA 250 in Eastbourne will start with a match against the talented teenager Maya Joint. That contest is one of three predicted in this article. We at LWOT predict the remaining matches on the slate in a separate article, including Daria Kasatkina vs Lulu Sun.
WTA Eastbourne Day 1 Predictions
Francesca Jones vs Greet Minnen
Head-to-head: Minnen 1-0 Jones
Grass does not suit Jones’ game. She managed one win against an out-of-form Harriet Dart in Nottingham, but her level on the surface tends to be lower than on hard or clay courts. Minnen won the Birmingham Classic during the second week of the French Open and beat Danielle Collins at the Libema Open. Although the Belgian sometimes struggles for consistency, her best level on grass is superior to Jones’s.
Prediction: Minnen in 2
Marie Bouzkova vs Anna Blinkova
Head-to-head: Blinkova 3-2 Bouzkova
This will be Bouzkova’s first match of the 2025 grass-court swing. The former Wimbledon quarterfinalist usually thrives on the lower bounce and being able to redirect her opponent’s pace. Blinkova has a very good record in opening rounds this season, although she usually loses in the next round. Despite Blinkova’s success in her first match at tournaments and Bouzkova’s lack of competitive practice on grass, the Czech’s game, which suits grass more, is tipped to win.
Prediction: Bouzkova in 3
Ons Jabeur vs Maya Joint
Head-to-head: First meeting
Jabeur produced one of her best performances in the last two years against the 2024 Wimbledon runner-up, Jasmine Paolini, in the Berlin Open round of 16. The Tunisian must have been so disappointed to follow it with a lackluster showing against the eventual champion Marketa Vondrousova. Joint’s lack of grass court experience should help Jabeur in this matchup. Last month’s Morocco Open champion is more used to the other surfaces, and it will probably take some time for her to find the same level on grass.
Prediction: Jabeur in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
