🎾 WTA Eastbourne – Round of 32 Preview
Jelena Ostapenko vs Sonay Kartal
British rising star Kartal meets Eastbourne royalty Ostapenko in a high-risk, high-reward grass showdown.
🧠 Form & Context
Sonay Kartal
🏠 Making Eastbourne main-draw debut; reached career-high ranking of No. 49.
🌱 Solid grass pedigree from ITFs and Nottingham R-16 last week (20–15 career).
🎯 Notable 2025 scalps include Kasatkina (Queen’s) & Kudermetova (IW); mixes baseline topspin with wide-angled slice serves.
⏳ Patchy stretch since March, but looked fit and competitive in three-setter vs Boulter.
Jelena Ostapenko
🌋 High-variance hitter with a Stuttgart title and multiple early exits in 2025 (15–12 record).
👑 Grass queen of Eastbourne—champion in 2021, finalist 2022, QF in 2023 (53–24 career on turf).
🛑 First match on grass this season; last played RG 3R (loss to Rybakina).
🔑 78% grass win rate when 1st serve >60%; drops sharply below that threshold.
🔍 Match Breakdown
- Serve & Return: Kartal’s lefty slice can stretch Ostapenko wide, but the Latvian’s aggressive return stance threatens every second serve.
- Baseline Control: Kartal prefers constructing rallies; Ostapenko plays early, flattens out strokes and keeps points short.
- Disruption & Tactics: Kartal may loft higher balls to throw off Ostapenko’s rhythm, but risks feeding her strike zone.
- Momentum Factor: Ostapenko is 12–1 when winning the first set in 2025; Kartal must make early inroads to unsettle the former RG champ.
🔮 Prediction
Prediction: Ostapenko in 3 sets (6–4, 3–6, 6–3)
Kartal has the tools and crowd lift to stretch the contest, but Ostapenko’s grass record and power-first instincts should carry her over the line—despite some turbulence.
📊 Tale of the Tape
- 2025 Record: Ostapenko 15–12 • Kartal 16–13
- Grass Record (Career): Ostapenko 53–24 • Kartal 20–15
- H2H: First meeting
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