By Ros Satar
- Heather Watson [WC] v Marie Bouzkova [8]
- Harriet Dart [WC] v Moyuka Uchijima [Q]
- Amelia Rajecki [Q] v Diana Shnaider
- Katie Boulter [4] v Anhelina Kalinina
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – Katie Boulter will headline the day’s action at the Rothesay Classic after successfully defending her title in Nottingham.
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Katie Boulter [4] v Anhelina Kalinina | H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Katie Boulter [4] v Anhelina Kalinina | H2H: First Meeting |
| WTA 250 Birmingham | UK |
| Grass | Prize Money: $2,890 |
| Fourth on Centre Court, not before 3:30pm | Across BBC iPlayer & Red Button |
Last year proved to be a chastening experience for Katie Boulter. She had won her first WTA title in Nottingham and was bundled out in the first round in Birmingham. She will hope for a better performance this time around, and on arguably her best surface, she should start as the favourite.
Anhelina Kalinina has had a decent enough season, but will be starting her grass court preparations here, so might find that adjustment a little tricky, especially if the British weather decides to get involved.
Prediction: Boulter in three sets.
Heather Watson [WC] v Marie Bouzkova [8] | H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Heather Watson [WC] v Marie Bouzkova [8] | H2H: First Meeting |
| WTA 250 Birmingham | UK |
| Grass | Prize Money: $2,890 |
| Second on Centre Court, not before 12:30pm | Across BBC iPlayer & Red Button |
Heather Watson usually turns on some stronger performances in front of the home crowds although Birmingham has not usually been a happy hunting ground for her, except for her run to the semi-final in 2021. It has not been a great year so far for the girl from Guernsey. On the main tour she snapped a four-match losing streak with her win in Nottingham and faces a tough opener against the eight seed Marie Bouzkova.
The Czech reached the quarter-final in 2021, but she has had no tine on the grass until this week. She will also be battling a crowd favourite, so Watson needs to prepare to go the distance.
Prediction: Bouzkova in three sets.
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Harriet Dart [WC] v Moyuka Uchijima [Q] | H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Harriet Dart [WC] v Moyuka Uchijima [Q] | H2H: First Meeting |
| WTA 250 Birmingham | UK |
| Grass | Prize Money: $2,890 |
| Second on Court 1, not before 12:30pm | Across BBC iPlayer & Red Button |
Harriet Dart has not had the best start to her grass court season, with early exits in Surbiton and Nottingham, as well as giving the umpire a piece of her mind and earning a stiff rebuke! She made the quarter-final last year and should feel hopeful of a strong start here.
She will face qualifier Moyuka Uchijima who has on a bit of a hot streak. She was on a 19-match winning streak coming into the French Open, albeit with most of the results coming at the lower tiers of WTA competitions.
Dart comes with the experience and the support of the crowd and should have the confidence to notch up a win.
Prediction: Dart in straight sets.
Amelia Rajecki [Q] v Diana Shnaider | H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Harriet Dart [WC] v Moyuka Uchijima [Q] | H2H: First Meeting |
| WTA 250 Birmingham | UK |
| Grass | Prize Money: $2,890 |
| Second on Centre Court, not before 12:30pm | Across BBC iPlayer & Red Button |
Amelia Rajecki is one of the UK’s products from the US university system, and enjoyed great success in North Caroline State. She started her 2024 season in Surbiton and picked up a win there before losing in the first round of Nottingham qualifying.
But two wins in qualifying here sets her up nicely to face Diana Shnaider who started the year strongly with the Hua Hin title, and the final at the WTA 125 event in Charleston and won the WA 125 title in Paris.
Momentum favours Shnaider, but it will be a good experience for the Brit, who continues her season on home soil.
Prediction: Shnaider in straight sets.
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