Casey Dellacqua gives advice on who you should pick ahead of Eastbourne for WTA Fantasy Tennis.
Ashleigh Barty
“My first pick for the title is Ash Barty – and not just because she’s my friend! She’s obviously on a great winning streak, through to the final in Birmingham after her fantastic run to the title at Roland Garros. With the form she has displayed on grass this past week and the confidence she is showing, she’s definitely the one to beat.”
Karolina Pliskova
“Karolina Pliskova is a former champion at Eastbourne, and I believe you can never count her out at a grass-court tournament given her serve is one of the best weapons in women’s tennis at the moment. While she lost early to her sister Kristyna at Birmingham in a very close match, I think she will bounce back this week as she looks to fine-tune ahead of Wimbledon.”
Angelique Kerber
“Former No.1 Angelique Kerber is coming off a great week on grass at Mallorca, which must be good for her confidence, and with a Wimbledon title under her belt she certainly knows how to play on this surface. With her lefthander’s serve and ability to stay low and find the angles, she is always a favorite for me on a grass court.”
Simona Halep
“Although Simona Halep hasn’t posted her best results on grass, she has to be considered a contender at any event she enters – the bottom line is she’s a former No.1 who knows how to win on any surface. Now that the French Open is over I think she’ll be primed and ready to play freely, and when she’s relaxed is when she’s possibly most dangerous.”
Outside Picks:
“A player to watch is Julia Goerges, a great all-round competitor who has played some great tennis in Birmingham as well. I definitely think she has a title run in her.”
