Eastbourne 2022: Women's draw analysis, preview & prediction | Rothesay International

The grasscourt season has arrived at its final pitstop ahead of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. The top names in the women's game will vye for the trophy at the 2022 Rothesay International, scheduled to be played from June 19–25.

Paula Badosa will lead the field in this year's tournament, which will also feature defending champion Jelena Ostapenko as well as in-form players Ons Jabeur and Belinda Bencic.

With main-draw action set to begin on Monday, here is a look at the prospects of the big names in the fray.

1st quarter: Beatriz Haddad Maia, Alison Riske and Kaia Kanepi look to test Paula Badosa

Paula Badosa has landed in a packed quarter

Seeded players: (1) Paula Badosa, (9) Elena Rybakina, (15) Beatriz Haddad Maia and (17) Alison Riske

Dark horse: Kaia Kanepi

Paula Baodsa could face Petra Martic in the opening round. The Croat possesses a game that is well-suited for grass — built around an effective first serve and nifty front-court skills —and could cause a few problems for the top seed.

If Badosa is to come through, she could run into an in-form Beatriz Haddad Maia. The Brazilian, who is yet to lose a match on grass this season, will first need to find a way past the big-hitting Kaia Kanepi in a prospective second-round encounter.

Elena Rybakina will play her first match on grass this year

Elena Rybakina and Alison Riske find themselves on a collision course. The Kazakh, who is scheduled to play her first match on the surface this season, will take on either Camila Osorio or Zhang Shuai.

The American, meanwhile, opens against the winner of the Magda Linette-Danka Kovinic encounter. Both women have scored some upsets this season, but Riske's flat groundstrokes make her a favorite in both match-ups.

Prediction: Alison Riske def. Beatriz Haddad Maia

2nd quarter: Czech trio Karolina Pliskova, Petra Kvitova and Babrora Krejcikova lead the pack

Petra Kvtiova will look to rediscover form ahead of Wimbledon

Seeded players: (4) Karolina Pliskova, (7) Babrora Krejcikova, (10) Jil Teichmann and (14) Petra Kvitova

Dark horse: Petra Kvitova

Karolina Pliskova and Petra Kvitova could meet as early as the third round, with both women needing only a win to set up the encore. Pliskova, who recently reached the quarterfinals in Berlin, will need to find a way past either Tereza Martincova or Katie Boulter in her opening match.

Kvitova will, in all likelihood, take on the big-hitting Dayana Yastremska in her second-round match. The two-time Wimbledon champion has struggled for form this year, but definitely possesses the game to turn things around — especially on her favored grass courts.

Harriet Dart has been in top form in the lead-up

Barbora Krejcikova will take to the court for the first time since bowing out in the first round of the French Open. She could face the versatile Viktorija Golubic in her first match.

A showdown with Jil Teichmann awaits the Czech in the third round. Teichmann, who has had a strong season on clay this year, will need to be wary of an increasingly confident-looking Harriet Dart — who will lead the home challenge in the absence of Emma Raducanu.

Prediction: Karolina Pliskova def. Jil Teichmann

3rd quarter: Jelena Ostapenko faces Madison Keys, Maria Sakkari in title defense

Jelena Ostapenko with the 2021 Eastbourne trophy

Seeded players: (3) Maria Sakkari, (8) Jelena Ostapenko, (11) Madison Keys and (16) Yulia Putintseva

Dark horse: Sorana Cirstea

Jelena Ostapenko suffered a surprise second-round exit at the Birmingham Classic, losing to Yastremska in three tight sets. The Latvian will look to reset in Eastbourne and open her title defense on a strong note.

In the form of Ajla Tomljanovic, though, Ostapenko faces a tough opener. Things don't get any easier as the flat-hitting Madison Keys will likely await the winner.

Maria Sakkari reached a first grass semifinal in Berlin

Maria Sakkari had a strong week in Berlin, where she made her first grasscourt semifinal before being edged by Belinda Bencic. The Greek will look to build on that run, but does have a few dangerous floaters in her section.

Sakkari will open against either Sorana Cirstea — who made the semifinals in Birmingham — or Anhelina Kalinina.

Prediction: Jelena Ostapenko def. Maria Sakkari

4th quarter: Garbine Muguruza and Camila Giorgi look to stop Ons Jabeur's march

bett1open 2022, Part of the Hologic WTA tour - Day Six

Seeded players: (2) Ons Jabeur, (5) Garbine Muguruza, (12) Camila Giorgi and (13) Elise Mertens

Dark horse: Shelby Rogers

Ons Jabeur won the Berlin Open on Sunday, defeating Bencic in the final. The Tunisian possesses a strong all-court game that works well on grass and she will look to extend her purple patch. She opens against either Shelby Rogers or Marie Bouzkova.

The first projected seed in Jabeur's path is Elise Mertens, who will have to navigate past compatriot Maryna Zanevska or a qualifier first up.

Camila Giorgi reached the semifinals in Eastbourne last year

Elsewhere in the draw, two out-of-sorts players — Garbine Muguruza and Camila Giorgi — will look to steady the ship heading into the Wimbledon Championships.

The draw has awarded some breathing room for Giorgi, who opens against a qualifier. Muguruza, meanwhile, could face the talented Chinese Zheng Qinwen in the Round of 16.

Prediction: Ons Jabeur def. Camila Giorgi

Predidction for semifinals

Karolina Pliskova def. Alison Riske

Ons Jabeur def. Jelena Ostapenko

Prediction for the final

Ons Jabeur def. Karolina Pliskova