Wimbledon 2024: Women's singles final round of qualifications predictions ft. Alycia Parks, Amanda Anisimova, Alexandra Eala
The qualifying rounds of the 2024 Wimbledon will come to a close on Thursday, June 27. 128 women started with hopes of securing a place in the main draw of the tournament, though only 16 of them will be able to do so after today.
Some well-known names have already been eliminated from contention. Maria Timofeeva, who made the fourth round of the Australian Open this year, lost in the first round of qualifying. Former top-50 players Aliaksandra Sasnovich and Linda Fruhvirtova were ousted as well.
However, not all big names were shown the door. Olga Danilovic, who reached the fourth round of the French Open, remains in the hunt to make the main draw cut at Wimbledon. Americans McCartney Kessler and Katie Volynets are in the fray as well, along with their more famous compatriots, Amanda Anisimova and Alycia Parks.
Qualifying for a Major is a huge career milestone for many, and it's extra special to achieve the same at Wimbledon. Here's a quick look at the predictions for some of the final women's singles qualifying matches set for Thursday:
#1 - Alycia Parks vs Hannah Klugman
Parks struggled to string together wins on the WTA Tour and the ITF circuit from February onwards. She reversed her fortunes during the grass swing by winning a WTA 125 event in Gaiba before the start of Wimbledon qualifying.
Parks carried the momentum from her title-winning run to ease past her opponents in the qualifying rounds. She beat Katarzyna Kawa 6-0, 6-2, and followed it up with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Tereza Martincova.
15-year-old Klugman received a wildcard into the qualifying rounds and has proven why she was worthy of it as well. The teenager defeated Petra Marcinko 6-2, 6-2, and then overcame a second-set stumble to beat Linda Fruhvirtova 6-2, 0-6, 6-4.
Klugman will aim to follow in the footsteps of Coco Gauff, who also qualified for Wimbledon as a 15-year-old back in 2019. However, Parks' rough patch seems to be behind her. She's playing with confidence and her serve is holding up well. Unless she implodes or crumbles under pressure, it's tough to see her losing this match.
Predicted winner: Alycia Parks
#2 - Amanda Anisimova vs Eva Lys
Anisimova was a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon a couple of years ago, going down to eventual champion Simona Halep. However, she has tumbled down the rankings after a hiatus last year. The American is now on the comeback trail and has been relegated to competing in the qualifiers.
Anisimova commenced her quest for a main draw spot with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Valentini Grammatikopoulou. She then rallied from a set down to beat her fellow American Hailey Baptiste 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-1.
Lys has won both of her qualifying matches in straight sets. She defeated Raluka Serban 6-4, 6-4 in the first round, and knocked out Selena Janicijevic with a score of 6-3, 6-0.
Lys is eyeing to secure a maiden main draw berth at Wimbledon. However, against an experienced Anisimova, that will be tough to achieve. The latter made the fourth round of the Australian Open earlier this year. While she's grinding it out in the qualifiers, her level remains that of a top player. Expect the American to successfully qualify for the tournament.
Predicted winner: Amanda Anisimova
#3 - Alexandra Eala vs Lulu Sun
A lot was expected from Eala following her triumph as a junior at the 2022 US Open. However, she's yet to make a significant breakthrough. She now has a shot to make her main draw debut at a Grand Slam.
Eala ousted Jessika Ponchet in straight sets and then overcame a one-set deficit to beat former French Open semifinalist Tamara Zidansek 1-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3. Sun scored a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win over Miriam Bulgaru in her opener, and then fought from a set down to defeat Gabriela Knutson 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6).
Both players are vying to advance to the Wimbledon main draw for the first time. Sun is the higher-ranked player in this match-up and has a better win-loss record compared to Eala this season as well. However, the latter has faced more quality opposition this week, which could give her the necessary edge to emerge victorious in this round.
Predicted winner: Alexandra Eala