Emma Raducanu started her 2024 Eastbourne International campaign with an impressive win, and her next opponent will be Jessica Pegula.
Two great hitters will face off in the second round of the Eastbourne International. It’s a great matchup for the second round of a WTA 500 event, but that’s also because the Brit is ranked low, working her way up.
It’s a fascinating matchup between players who have been playing really well. On the one hand, Pegula just comfortably won the Berlin Open, and on the other hand Raducanu has been firing on all cylinders on grass.
It’s a matchup between two players who play a similar simple style and hit the ball quite well. Both will hit the ball as hard as possible and hope that many of those stay inside the court lines. The one who does it better will ultimately win the match.
Head-to-head:
The two actually played against each other only once, but it was a great match, and Pegula ended up winning it. The American looked good in Berlin but not in Den Bosch the previous week, where she lost relatively early as the top seed.
She’s slowly starting to find her rhythm, which her results prove. Raducanu might be incentivized to try and win more because she’s playing at home and might be eyeing that trophy. She’s also more rested, having not played the week before.
| Jessica Pegula | Emma Raducanu |
| 1 | 0 |
| 5 | 168 |
| 30 | 21 |
| 19-7 | 12-8 |
| 414-239 | 110-57 |
Prediction:
The matchup is very hard to predict because, at her current level, Pegula should be able to win the match. On the other hand, the home crowd factor and motivation to perform in front of friends and the nation swing it toward Raducanu.
Prediction: Emma Raducanu to win in three sets.
