Taylor Fritz begins his defence of the Eastbourne Open as the hot favourite for a fifth singles crown at Devonshire Park.
The top seed landed his fourth in spectacular style last summer with eight aces, 22 winners and only six unforced errors in the final against fellow American Jenson Brooksby.
He had beaten rising star Joao Fonseca on his way and could face the Brazilian second seed in the final this year if the event goes to form.
But several dangerous unseeded players are lurking elsewhere in the draw and one or two of them have a great grass-court pedigree.
British star Jack Draper is among them, but he might be short of match sharpness after a long injury lay-off.
Draper opens against fifth seed Brandon Nakashima — one of the most dangerous grass‑court players in the draw.
Elsewhere, Mattia Bellucci arrives with momentum after shocking defending Halle champion Alexander Bublik last week, while Raphael Collignon must be considered a danger too after pushing Alexander Zverev to two tiebreaks in a high‑quality quarter‑final in Germany.
ATP Eastbourne Open Tips Summary
Best Bet – Brandon Nakashima each-way @ 17/2
Alternative Bet – Raphael Collignon each-way @ 16/1
Alternative Bet – Mattia Bellucci each-way @ 25/1
ATP Eastbourne Open Prediction
Best Bet: Brandon Nakashima each-way @ 17/2
Fritz will have to pick himself up after losing Sunday’s Halle final to compatriot Tiafoe, but he at least gets a couple of days off thanks to a first-round bye.
But it could soon get tough for him with a likely quarter-final against Francisco Cerundolo, who saw off Tommy Paul in three sets at Queen’s Club on Sunday.
The Argentinian has a solid grass-court game and a never-say-die spirit that makes him tough for even the best to put away.
Nakashima couldn’t do it from a set and a break up in their semi-final, so he will be desperate to get another crack at him on grass.
The American, who began working with coach Wayne Ferreira this week, had a great tournament in London —earning his third career top-10 win when he ousted top seed Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals.
His clean, compact strokes and elite returning make him one of the most reliable performers on fast courts and he also has a favourable matchup in round one against Draper, who is returning from injury and may need time to find rhythm.
Nakashima reached the quarter‑finals in Stuttgart and final four at Queen's on the back of a rock‑solid serve and his ability to absorb pace makes him a nightmare in windy conditions.
With Fritz and Cerundolo potentially fatigued after deep runs in Halle and London while Fonseca’s grass instincts remain under development, Nakashima looks like an interesting option to win at longer odds.
Alternative Bet: Raphael Collignon each-way @ 16/1
Collignon’s stock continues to rise after his performance against Zverev in Halle.
The big-serving Belgian lost 7‑6 (10) 7‑6 (2) to the reigning French Open champion and world number three in one of the most impressive grass‑court displays of his young career.
He matched the German star ace‑for‑ace (14 each) and held serve with remarkable composure, losing fewer points on his than Zverev did.
His serve‑plus‑forehand combination is improving rapidly, and his ability to take the ball early makes him dangerous on this surface.
While his return efficiency can fluctuate, his ceiling is high and his first-round match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo gives him an opening for a deep run.
Alternative Bet: Mattia Bellucci each-way @ 25/1
Bellucci produced the biggest win of his grass‑court career in Halle, saving three set points in a dramatic first-set tie-break before dismantling defending champion Alexander Bublik 7‑6 (6) 6‑1.
His confidence is soaring, and his left‑handed serve is a major weapon on grass.
He faces Ugo Humbert in round one — a tough opponent, but one who has struggled for rhythm since Roland Garros. Bellucci’s aggressive returning and willingness to step inside the baseline give him a real chance to control the match.
Key Tournament Stats
- Fritz is 17-1 at Eastbourne after winning four singles titles since 2019 at Devonshire Park
- Fonseca is 5-8 on grass in his career and lost in the first round at Halle to unseeded Yannick Hanfmann
- Draper has not played since suffering a knee injury at the Barcelona Open in April
- Nakashima lost to Queen’s Club winner Francisco Cerundolo in the semi-finals
- Bellucci defeated defending Halle champion Bublik 7‑6, 6‑1 last week
- Collignon lost fewer points on serve than Zverev in their Halle quarter-final
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
