TC Plus Match of the Day: Ashleigh Barty vs. Donna Vekic, Birmingham

Donna Vekic (WTA No. 21, UTR No. 14) vs Ashleigh Barty (WTA No. 2, UTR No. 1)

It’s safe to say the tennis world is waiting on pins and needles for Barty’s 2019 grass-court debut. The Australian won the French Open two weeks ago in her first ever Tour-level singles final on clay. If she can slice and dice her way to a major title on red dirt—statistically her worst surface—then the sky is the limit for for the 23-year-old on grass.

The world No. 2 will face off against last week's WTA Nottingham finalist, the talented 22-year-old Croatian Donna Vekic. Luckily for Vekic, she received an extra day off due to a rain delay. She will need the rest if she has any chance at upsetting the oddsmakers' second favorite to lift the Wimbledon trophy.

Barty owns the best net game in women’s tennis, to go along with the most effective slice backhand—both lethal weapons on the slick grass courts. Vekic will have to hope that Barty, who enjoyed an extended run on clay, will have trouble finding her footing in transitioning surfaces.

Vekic will look to play first strike tennis and immediately take control of the point. She will need to be the aggressor throughout to try and keep Barty off-balance. Vekic is no slouch on this surface: according to UTR, she is the No. 9 grass-court player in the world, but Barty is No. 1.  Look for Barty to breeze through Vekic in a comfortable straight-set victory.