The WTA 250 in Den Bosch marks the start of the 2026 grass-court swing. Six matches are scheduled on Day 1, with former finalist Bianca Andreescu among the players in action. Who will advance?
WTA Den Bosch Day 1 Predictions
Ekaterina Alexandrova vs Panna Udvardy
Head-to-head: first meeting
Alexandrova has a fine record in Den Bosch. She won the title on debut three seasons ago and has made the semifinals in each of her last two visits. But the Russian will need no reminding of her last trip. She held 11 match points in her semifinal defeat to Elise Mertens last year. Panna Udvardy has made immense progress at tour level this season. She reached her maiden WTA final in Bogota and is now an established Top 100 player. But the Hungarian does most of her heavy lifting on clay, where she plays the longer points better. On grass, Alexandrova has a sizable advantage with her humongous power game.
Prediction: Alexandrova in 2
Magda Linette vs Kimberly Birrell
Head-to-head: first meeting
Both Linette and Birrell registered shock wins at the French Open. The Pole beat former champion Jelena Ostapenko while Birrell secured the best win of her career by defeating Jessica Pegula in the first round. Neither player is at their strongest on grass, but Linette can adjust better when conditions get trickier and her crisp timing off the ground should give her the edge.
Prediction: Linette in 3
Bianca Andreescu vs Elise Mertens
Head-to-head: Andreescu 2-0 Mertens
It’s precisely a year since Bianca Andreescu was ranked in the Top 100. A return to the upper tier of women’s rankings continues to elude the Canadian star, who is coming off a subpar clay-court campaign. Andreescu won two main draw matches on the dirt and was knocked out of the French Open qualifying rounds. Elise Mertens was one of the big names who fell victim to Maja Chwalinska’s crafty tennis in the early rounds in Paris. The Belgian finished with a modest 5-4 record on clay. That said, Mertens won this tournament last year after saving a staggering 11 match points in the semifinals. She can bounce back and make that smooth transition to the grass.
Prediction: Mertens in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
