One of the last few stops ahead of the Wimbledon Championships is set to commence as the players head to Eastbourne for some final adjustments and tuning ahead of the biggest grass-court event of the season. Day 1 will feature a packed slate of matches and a packed crowd, with Jack Draper set to return to action. However, he is far from the only attraction, and we here at LWOT will be predicting every encounter for you. But who do you think will advance?
ATP Eastbourne Day 1 Predictions
Jack Pinnington Jones vs Camilo Ugo Carabelli
Head-to-head: First meeting
This match pits wildcard Jack Pinnington Jones, who despite his small sample size of experience on the ATP Tour, has shown that he can play decent tennis on grass, up against Camilo Ugo Carabelli, a traditional clay-court player who prefers to grind out rallies. In the Eastbourne conditions, while Ugo Carabelli should still have the overall edge from the back of the court, Pinnington Jones’ more varied game, especially when attacking, can give the wildcard a valuable Tour-level win.
Prediction: Pinnington Jones in 3
Juan Manuel Cerundolo vs Raphael Collignon
Head-to-head: First meeting
The tennis world is seemingly still recovering from what Juan Manuel Cerundolo did in that second-round match at the French Open, as he begins his grass-court season later than usual against the capable Raphael Collignon. While Cerundolo is a solid player on slower surfaces, where he can grind out results, doing so on faster grass courts will be a much bigger challenge. Expect Collignon’s game to translate better to the surface, allowing him to come out on top here.
Prediction: Collignon in 2
Brandon Nakashima vs Jack Draper
Head-to-head: Draper 2-1 Nakashima
Jack Draper returns to the Tour with Andy Murray in his box and a familiar foe in Brandon Nakashima across the net, someone he has faced during each of the last two grass-court swings. While Draper won both of those matches, their meeting at Queen’s in 2025 was a closely contested three-set battle, one that Draper could very well have lost. Nakashima is certainly capable of winning this matchup on grass, and given that this will be just Draper’s third match since Indian Wells, rust could play a part in ending his run in Eastbourne prematurely.
Prediction: Nakashima in 3
Main Image Credit: Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
