As Wimbledon approaches, the excitement builds with the last two grass-court tournaments taking place in Eastbourne and Mallorca. These final ATP 250 events will take place just before the prestigious Grand Slam starts, featuring a strong lineup of players.
In Eastbourne, England, the tournament offers a prize money of 756,875 Euros with 250 ranking points up for grabs. Taylor Fritz, the top seed and defending champion, will start his campaign against either Joao Fonseca or Zizou Bergs in a first-round match. Fritz has historically performed well in Eastbourne, winning the title every other year since 2019. If he secures victory again, it would mark his fourth title in five appearances, solidifying Eastbourne as his most successful tournament outside of the United States. His road to the finals, however, is challenging, as he may face Flavio Cobolli and Jakub Mensik in the subsequent rounds.
The bottom half of the draw has become more open due to Tommy Paul’s recent leg injury and Ugo Humbert’s struggles. Players such as Alexander Bublik and Cameron Norrie are positioned as potential threats who could take advantage of these vacancies.
Meanwhile, in Mallorca, Spain, the tournament features a prize money of 596,035 Euros and also offers 250 points. The top seed is Ben Shelton, but the draw resembles that of a North American event, with several American and Canadian players competing. Among them are Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alex Michelsen, both strong contenders for the title. Interestingly, Bernard Tomic has made his way into the main draw, presenting a thrilling matchup against compatriot Rinky Hijikata in round one.
Quarterfinal and semifinal predictions for both tournaments indicate thrilling matches ahead, with several players looking to make a mark just before heading to Wimbledon.
With the excitement of these tournaments and the level of competition from top players, both the Eastbourne Open and Mallorca Championships promise to be gripping events leading into Wimbledon. Fans of tennis can expect to witness impressive performances and perhaps see the rise of new stars on the ATP Tour.