Starodubtseva vs Zakharova Prediction 23 June 2026
🔊 Yulia Starodubtseva and Anastasia Zakharova are set to face off in the opening round of the WTA 250 in Eastbourne, with the action unfolding on grass courts. This clash will reveal which player has adjusted better to the fast surface. The Russian arrives at the main draw after an arduous qualifying campaign, featuring maximum sets and a pair of tiebreaks. Will she have enough left in the tank for the main event?
Head-to-Head
📊 Yulia Starodubtseva and Anastasia Zakharova have never faced each other before.
Yulia Starodubtsewa Player Overview
Yulia Starodubtseva heads into this match with six wins from her last ten outings, underscoring her consistent form. At the previous tournament in Nottingham, she edged past Maia Joint before falling to Emma Navarro in a tightly contested battle-both matches went the distance and featured two tiebreaks in total. Over this recent stretch, Starodubtseva has won 54% of all games and more than half of her sets, outpacing her upcoming opponent in both categories. While her serve remains a work in progress-she holds just 54% of points on serve-she makes up for it with an aggressive return game, converting 51% of break points.
Match Results: Yulia Starodubtsewa
Anastasia Zakharova Player Overview
Anastasia Zakharova has picked up five wins in her last ten matches, but her results lack the consistency shown by her upcoming opponent. Her campaign in Eastbourne started in the qualifiers, where she edged past Lilli Tagger and Oksana Selekhmeteva-both matches going the distance with a tiebreak in each. Zakharova’s percentage of games won is notably lower at just 46%, and she’s claimed only 42% of the sets played. While her first serve accuracy is impressive at 77%, she struggles to capitalize on her service points, holding just 67% of them. Double faults are also a concern, occurring in 5% of her service games, which could prove to be a significant risk factor.
Match Results: Anastasia Zakharova
Key factors
- Yulia Starodubtseva have claimed victory in 6 of their last 10 matches, showcasing consistent form.
- However, the Ukrainian tends to play lengthy matches on grass this season.
- In 2 out of 3 grass-court outings, Zakharova’s matches have gone the distance.
- Every single one of the Russian’s matches has featured at least one tiebreak.
Expected scenario
Starodubtseva have shown a bit more consistency in recent outings. The Ukrainian regularly faces tougher opponents and has proven she can maintain a high tempo against them. However, Yuliia does struggle on her own service games. On grass, a shaky serve can lead to plenty of break opportunities for her opponent, so she shouldn't expect an easy match here. The likely scenario is that Starodubtseva will apply more pressure on return, but Zakharova are capable of holding serve and won't allow the gap to widen significantly.
⭐ Editorial Prediction
Despite the significant gap in rankings, recent performances suggest that both players are still struggling to adjust to grass courts. Their matches tend to go the distance, often featuring deciding sets and tiebreaks. While the Ukrainian has faced tougher opposition during this stretch of the season, the Russian has consistently challenged top-100 opponents and pushed them to the limit. We anticipate a similar battle here. Our prediction: over 20.5 games.
Will this prediction come true?
Betting Tips: Yulia Starodubtsewa - Anastasia Zakharova
.svg)
Other predictions
