The grass court season gets underway at WTA Queen’s Club, and the draw has already served up some compelling first-round matchups. Queen’s Club is only in its second year back on the WTA Tour, but it has quickly established itself as one of the most exciting events on the calendar. Four of the top five seeds have byes, which means the bulk of the opening-day action involves unseeded players and those ranked further down the draw — and as last year’s tournament proved, anything can happen on this surface. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on day one, but who will advance?
WTA Queen’s Club Day 1 Predictions
Zheng Qinwen vs Jaqueline Cristian
Head-to-head: Cristian 2-1 Zheng
Zheng Qinwen made the WTA Queen’s Club semifinals last year, which gives her a meaningful advantage coming into this match. Her powerful game — big forehand, aggressive baseline positioning — translates well to grass, and she carries the added confidence of recovering from elbow surgery to post solid results this season including a run to the Roland Garros quarterfinal.
Jaqueline Cristian has been competitive and reached some solid stages recently, including a Strasbourg semifinal, but grass has historically been tougher for her—she’s won very few matches on the surface at WTA level. Zheng’s ability to hit through the grass should help her control the points. This looks like a solid start for the Chinese player on these lawns.
Prediction: Zheng in 2
Laura Siegemund vs Francesca Jones
Head-to-Head: Siegemund 1-1 Jones
Laura Siegemund brings experience and crafty tennis, using variety, slices, and net approaches that can disrupt rhythm on any surface. She’s shown some decent grass results in patches. Jones, a British wild card, has been building momentum with Challenger-level success and knows grass from her development, though her WTA grass record is still developing.
This one could hinge on who adapts faster to the bounce. Siegemund’s experience in big moments and ability to mix things up might just edge out Francesca Jones in what promises to be a tactical affair.
Prediction: Siegemund in 2
Harriet Dart vs Liudmila Samsonova
Head-to-Head: Dart 1-0 Samsonova
Harriet Dart, another home wild card, has been putting together consistent results and thrives on grass with her all-court game and fighting spirit. Liudmila Samsonova possesses big weapons especially her serve and flat groundstrokes that can dominate on faster courts, and she’s shown flashes of strong grass play before.
Both have the tools for this surface, but Dart’s recent form and home advantage in front of supportive crowds could help her neutralize Samsonova’s power and grind out the key points.
Prediction: Dart in 3
Karolina Pliskova vs McCartney Kessler
Head-to-head: first meeting
This is one of the most intriguing first-round draws of the day. Karolina Pliskova is a former world #1, a 2021 Wimbledon runner-up, and has three grass-court titles to her name, entering here on a protected ranking. Her serve alone makes her dangerous on this surface. But McCartney Kessler won the Nottingham title last year, demonstrating she is not just comfortable on grass — she is capable of winning tournaments on it. She knocked out two-time defending champion Katie Boulter en route to that title, which says a lot about the level she can reach.
Pliskova’s big game and experience mean she should not be underestimated, particularly on a surface that suits her so well. But Kessler is the player in better recent form, and her grass-court record over the past 12 months is the stronger of the two. Kessler should edge this in a competitive match.
Prediction: Kessler in 3
Katie Boulter vs Leylah Fernandez
Head-to-head: Boulter 1-1 Fernandez
Boulter is counting on her grass court experience to give her the edge on home soil, and that is not an empty argument. She is a natural on the surface, and has two Nottingham titles to her name. Her game—big serve, solid baseline hitting, and comfort moving forward—fits perfectly here. Leylah Fernandez is a gritty competitor who’s had some grass success too, but her results have been mixed lately coming into WTA Queen’s Club.
The Briton’s storied history on grass and home support give her the tools to dictate play and handle Fernandez’s lefty spin. Expect a competitive battle, but Boulter’s familiarity with the conditions should carry her through.
Prediction: Boulter in 3
Main photo credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
