Eastbourne 2024: Jessica Pegula vs Emma Raducanu preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Rothesay International
Match Details
Fixture: (2) Jessica Pegula vs (WC) Emma Raducanu
Date: June 26, 2024
Tournament: Rothesay International 2024
Round: Second Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Devonshire Park LTC, Eastbourne, United Kingdom
Category: WTA 500
Surface: Grass
Prize Money: $922,573
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Tennis Channel, BBC | Canada - TSN+
Jessica Pegula vs Emma Raducanu preview
After a first-round bye, second seed Jessica Pegula will take on Emma Raducanu in the second round of the 2024 Rothesay International on Wednesday, June 26.
The early hardcourt season was a mixed bag for Pegula. She reached the semifinals of the Adelaide International but bowed out in the second round of the Australian Open. A semifinal at the San Diego Open was followed by another second-round exit, this time from the Indian Wells Open.
Pegula then made the quarterfinals of the Miami Open and kicked off her clay swing with a semifinal finish at the Charleston Open. She then represented the United States in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers and won both of her singles ties.
The American skipped the remainder of the clay season due to an injury. She returned to action for the grass swing at the Libema Open but was stunned by Aleksandra Krunic in the second round.
Pegula then headed to Berlin for the ecotrans Ladies Open. She ousted Donna Vekic, Katerina Siniakova, and Coco Gauff to reach her first final of the season. Up against Anna Kalinskaya in the summit clash, she saved five championship points to capture her first title of the season.
Raducanu, meanwhile, commenced her campaign in Eastbourne against fellow US Open champion Sloane Stephens. The American led by a break twice in the first set but the Brit broke back immediately to stay right on her tail.
With the score tied at 4-4, Raducanu nabbed the next couple of games to take the set. She carried the momentum into the next set as she dished out a bagel to score a 6-4, 6-0 win.
Jessica Pegula vs Emma Raducanu head-to-head
Pegula leads Raducanu 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2022 Western & Southern Open in straight sets.
Jessica Pegula vs Emma Raducanu odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Jessica Pegula vs Emma Raducanu prediction
Once Raducanu overcame a slow start against Stephens, she simply ran away with the match. She struck 24 winners against 13 unforced errors and won 68 percent of her first serve points.
However, Raducanu cannot afford to have another slow start against the in-form Pegula, who just won a title. While the American's success on grass is rather recent, she has the perfect game for the surface. With flat and compact strokes, her shotmaking is quite lethal when she's on song.
Raducanu is no slouch on grass either and made the semifinals in Nottingham at the start of the grass swing. However, she's 0-7 against top-10 players, having lost all matches in straight sets to boot. As such, Pegula will be favored to make it through this clash.
Pick: Jessica Pegula to win in three sets.