London | WTA Preview – Grass kicks off in Nottingham and Den Bosch

Because the purple mud settles on Roland Garros, the grass courtroom swing will get below approach on the Rothesay Open in Nottingham and the Libéma Open ’s-Hertogenbosch in Den Bosch within the Netherlands, each WTA 250 tournaments.

14 Brits are competing in Nottingham in both the qualifying this weekend or in the principle draw, led by Katie Boulter, the No 3 seed and defending champion, whereas there are none within the working order at Den Bosch, the place the highest seed is Jessica Pegula, the World No 5, who’s getting back from an harm break.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu additionally returns to the match courtroom, having opted out of the French Open to concentrate on grass, and has acquired a wild-card into the principle attract Nottingham.

The 21 US Open champion has an opportunity to reboot her 12 months with appearances at two of the large grass courtroom tournaments forward of Wimbledon, Nottingham and Eastbourne, and so enhance on her present rating of 205.

The 21-year-old has served up some spectacular performances since present process surgical procedure on each of her wrists and her ankle that dominated her out of all the 2023 grass courtroom season, in addition to the second half of final 12 months, which suggests she has no factors to defend, and, with some wins, may properly make a speedy stand up the rankings.

Raducanu received 2 matches in spectacular vogue for Nice Britain as they beat France within the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers in April, and backed that up with a run to the quarter-finals at a star-studded WTA 500 occasion in Stuttgart.

Earlier within the season, although, she pulled out of the Miami Open resulting from harm after taking a wild-card after which turned in a curiously flat efficiency on the Madrid Open, the place she had accepted one other wild-card into the principle draw.

She then pulled out of the qualifying occasion for the French Open, saying she would reasonably concentrate on her grass courtroom preparations, which sparked a recent debate over whether or not the 2021 US Open champion is ready to play lower-profile occasions in a bid to get again to the highest.

One of many qualifiers shall be drawn towards Raducanu in Nottingham subsequent week, and if she wins, then she may face 2nd-seeded Marta Kostyuk from Ukraine, who presents a serious problem.

For a second straight 12 months, Kostyuk opens her marketing campaign towards fellow Ukrainian Daria Snigur, ranked 123 and who upset defending champion Beatriz Haddad Maia right here final 12 months.

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One other huge title taking part in on the occasion is top-seeded Ons Jabeur, the World No 9 from Tunisia, whose return to grass will occur towards Maria Camila Osorio from Colombia, and is aware of the best way to play on grass.

The pair performed final week within the Roland Garros 2nd-round on clay, with Jabeur successful a top-quality match, 6-3 1-6 6-3, stuffed with all-court selection.

The Tunisian is making her first look in Nottingham since she reached the 2014 quarter-finals, when the match was an ITF $50K occasion.

The winner may line up towards Yuriko Miayzaki, if the British No 4 can get previous a qualifier in her opener.

British No 1 Katie Boulter received the Rothesay Open Trophy final 12 months after beating Jodie Burrage within the remaining

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Within the 1st-round, Boulter, the British No 1, takes on Harriet Dart, Britain’s No 2, in a rematch of final 12 months’s quarter-final, which Boulter received 6-3 7-5, and must be a popcorn match for the house crowd.

Another attention-grabbing 1st-round matchups embody a gathering between Czech Karolina Pliskova, the No 6 seed, and American Alycia Parks, which must be a feast of highly effective serves.

Pliskova received Nottingham in 2016, and misplaced 6-0 7-6(3) to the big-serving American of their solely earlier assembly at Ostrava in 2022.

Heather Watson, the British No 5, opens towards American Kayla Day, whereas Fran Jones, Britain’s No 7, tackles the No 8 seed, Caroline Dolehide, additionally from America.

Naomi Osaka is certainly one of a number of huge names within the draw of the Libéma Open ’s-Hertogenbosch subsequent week

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The Libema Open has shortly grown into a really respectable occasion, and this 12 months’s version options some actually huge names, together with wild-card Naomi Osaka, who virtually beat Iga Swiatek, the World No 1, at Roland Garros just lately.

Grass shouldn’t be a floor the previous World No 1 and 4-time Grand Slam champion relishes, however she is eager to enhance, and can make her begin towards the 4th-seeded Elise Mertens.

It’s a brutal draw for the Japanese because the Belgian outplayed her on the Indian Wells Open just a few months in the past.

The winner of that match will face both American Bernarda Pera or Suzan Lamens, a wild-card from the Netherlands.

Jessica Pegula is the highest seed on the Libéma Open ’s-Hertogenbosch

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Pegula, the highest seed, missed the clay courtroom swing because the American had a neck harm, and begins her grass courtroom season towards one of many qualifiers.

She is probably extra ready for grass than others, and is available in raring to go forward of a busy juncture of the season, taking part in Wimbledon, after which representing the USA on the Olympic Video games in Paris earlier than returning dwelling for the US Open.

Pegula final performed at Billie Jean King Cup in April, anchoring her nation to victory over Belgium, however then withdrew from the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart due to the fast turnaround, solely to undergo an harm set-back on her return to the US, and has been off injured since.

If she wins her opener, Pegula will meet both Aleksandra Krunic from Serbia or one other qualifier within the 2nd spherical.

It’s a good draw for Pegula, with Veronika Kudermetova, who has been in poor kind these days, the seemingly seed in her part. The Russian opens up towards Zhuoxuan Bai from China, with Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus within the 2nd-round probably.

Liudmila Samsonova is the No 2 seed and he or she faces Belgian Alison van Uytvanck within the 1st-round, whereas Ekaterina Alexandrova is third seed, and in addition the defending champion, faces Arina Rodionova, the present Australian No 1.

The winner may face a third Russian, Anna Blinkova, whereas Poland’s Magda Linette additionally sits in that part of the draw and will tackle Denmark’s Clara Tauson or Jule Niemeier from Germany, one other popcorn opening match.

Canadian Bianca Andreescu can be again on tour, and her Roland Garros marketing campaign proved strong, overwhelmed by eventual finalist Jasmine Paolini.

Her season continues in Den Bosch, the place she additionally performs towards one of many qualifiers within the 1st-round, with the winner advancing to tackle both China’s Yuan Yue or Diana Shnaider from Russia, who’re each difficult opponents.