Former Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini headlines the women’s entry list for the Lexus Eastbourne Open.
World No.13 Paolini, who has been ranked as high as four in the world, reached the semi-finals in Eastbourne back in 2024 where she lost out to eventual champion Daria Kasatkina, before going on to reach her second Grand Slam final at Wimbledon a fortnight later.
Paolini’s Pursuit of a Grass Title
A three-time WTA singles title winner, including two WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Rome, Paolini will hope to add to that tally at Devonshire Park this June as she prepares to hunt down a first title on the grass.
Three Grand Slam singles champions are among those to feature alongside Paolini in the women’s draw, as Madison Keys – a two-time champion in Eastbourne – Barbora Krejcikova and 2021 Lexus Eastbourne Open champion Jelena Ostapenko all look to round off their preparations for Wimbledon on the grass in Eastbourne.
Other Players to Watch
Three other former champions will return looking to regain the trophy, with 2024 winner Daria Kasatkina, former world No.1 and two-time champion Karolina Pliskova, and 2025 champion Maya Joint all returning to the south coast.
Meanwhile, local favourite Sonay Kartal will hope the backing of the fans can help her on a deep run as she returns to actions following an injury break.
Men’s Competition at Eastbourne
On the men’s side, Taylor Fritz, who said “there’s something about Eastbourne” after claiming his fourth title at Devonshire Park last summer, returns looking to extend his eight-match unbeaten streak and add a fifth title at Devonshire Park.
Fritz is second among active players, behind only Novak Djokovic, for the most titles won on grass, with his four in Eastbourne complemented by last summer’s Boss Open title in Stuttgart.
This year’s tournament will also welcome rising challengers including 19-year-old Joao Fonseca – already a two-time ATP Tour champion and former ATP Next Gen winner – and 2026 breakout star Rafael Jodar.
Elsewhere, last year’s runner-up Jenson Brooksby will be looking to go one step further, 2023 champion Francisco Cerundolo will return looking to regain his crown, while Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot is the second highest ranked player on the entry list.
Vacherot will be looking to claim a first ATP Tour title since his fairytale run to the Shanghai Masters title in October, where he came through qualifying to seal the crown, defeating his cousin Arthur Rinderknech, who also features on Eastbourne’s entry list, in the final.
Rebecca James, Tournament Director of the Lexus Eastbourne Open said, “We can’t wait to welcome fans back to Devonshire Park for what’s set to be another spectacular tournament.
There are so many brilliant storylines waiting to unfold: will Fritz extend his record-breaking run? Will local favourite Sonay Kartal cause a stir? Whatever happens, spectators are in for world-class action.