Leylah Annie Fernandez - Daria Kasatkina predictions and free betting tips [29/06/2024]

Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina will face Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the final of the grass court tournament in Eastbourne (United Kingdom). The match begins at 11:30.

Daria Kasatkina

The Russian is ranked 14th in the world. The final in Eastbourne is Kasatkina’s fourth of the current season. Daria has contested titles in Adelaide, Abu Dhabi, and Charleston but has yet to secure a trophy this year. Only World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and 4th-ranked Elena Rybakina have played more finals in the women's singles this season than Kasatkina.

However, unlike these players, Kasatkina has been less successful. Last year in Eastbourne, Kasatkina reached the finals but lost to Madison Keys – 6:2, 7:6 (15:13).

In her professional career, the world’s 14th-ranked player has claimed 7 WTA titles. She has won on hard, indoor, and clay courts but has yet to secure a title on grass. Statistically, the Russian has won 65% of her matches on grass courts.

In the United Kingdom, the Russian representative navigated past Wang Xinyu, Yue Yuan, and Emma Raducanu. In the semi-final, Kasatkina defeated world No. 7 Jasmine Paolini with a score of 3:6, 7:5, 6:3. Not too long ago, the Italian was a finalist at Roland Garros.

Regardless of the final's outcome, Kasatkina will rise by at least two spots in the rankings come Monday.

Leylah Fernandez

The Canadian tennis player is ranked 30th in the WTA rankings. Fernandez is the dark horse of the competition in the United Kingdom. Previously, she had never progressed past the quarter-finals in any tournament, and those appearances were only twice at the Birmingham Classic and the Qatar Open.

However, Fernandez has navigated past strong opponents in Eastbourne – Barbora Krejcikova, Ashlyn Krueger, and Harriet Dart. In the semi-final, she defeated the defending champion Madison Keys, 6:3, 3:6, 6:3. It was this American that Kasatkina lost the title to last year. This will give Leylah confidence in her title quest. The 21-year-old tennis player has claimed 3 WTA titles in singles in her career.

Interestingly, she has often lost on grass courts in her career. Now, she finds herself in the final of a WTA 500 tournament. She has previously contested a final on a hard court.

By Monday, Fernandez will rise at least 5 spots in the rankings.

Head-to-Head

In their head-to-head encounters, the rivals have met twice. The score stands 2-0 in favour of the Russian. Daria and Leylah met both times in 2022: on the clay courts in Rome (4:6, 6:3, 7:6) and on hard courts in San Diego (6:2, 6:2).

Kasatkina vs Fernandez Prediction

Kasatkina holds more advantages. She is of a higher class, frequently plays in finals, and regularly defeats higher-ranked opponents. In recent games on grass courts, she has won 8 out of 9 matches and eliminated five opponents in straight sets.

Fernandez’s strengths lie in her excellent serve and defence. Both players are in excellent physical form.

The stats in finals do not favour the Russian: 6 titles in 16 deciding stages. Similarly, the numbers do not favour the Canadian player either. Moreover, the Canadian representative has lost 5 out of her previous 6 encounters against top-20 players. So far, she lacks the class and skill. Thus, Daria Kasatkina is more likely to claim the title than her opponent.