Emma Raducanu will finish her grass preparation for Wimbledon at the 2024 Eastbourne International, where she’ll face Sloane Stephens in the first round.
Raducanu’s only grass event so far in 2024 was the Nottingham Open, where she played strong tennis before losing to Katie Boulter in an epic three-and-a-half-hour battle. The Brit skipped over the Birmingham Classic but will play at the WTA 500 tournament in Eastbourne in the week before Wimbledon to fine-tune her tennis for the major.
Her first opponent will be fellow Grand Slam champion Stephens, who has had a decent year so far but will be the underdog in this match. Raducanu is the far better player on grass, and she will be playing at home, hoping to use the energy from the crowd to her advantage.
Head-to-head:
The two have played only once so far, and it happened at the 2022 Australian Open, with Raducanu winning the match fairly comfortably. It was an interesting match, with the score being 6-0, 2-6, 6-1.
As the score indicates, Raducanu dominated for the most part, and the same scenario could occur in Eastbourne. Still, Stephens could create some trouble for the Brit, who is still quite streaky.
When she finds her best tennis, she can be really difficult to counter, but it takes a while until she warms up to that. Her performances in Nottingham featured great serving, which she’ll need once more.
| Emma Raducanu | Sloane Stephens | |
| 1 | H2H | 0 |
| 165 | Rank | 48 |
| 21 | Age | 31 |
| 11-8 | 2024 W/L | 17-14 |
| 109-57 | Career W/L | 378-276 |
Prediction:
If Raducanu consistently serves well and hits the ball the way she can, it won’t be a good day at the office for Stephens. She can find a solid level, but trading blows on the grass with Raducanu will be difficult for the American.
Prediction: Emma Raducanu to win in two sets.
