Bianca Andreescu opens her grass-court campaign against defending champion Elise Mertens in the first round of the WTA 250 in Den Bosch, with the Belgian favoured to advance despite arriving with mixed form off the clay.
What is at stake for Andreescu?
The Canadian is seeking to regain consistency after a subpar clay-court run that left her outside the top 100. Andreescu won two main-draw matches on clay before losing in French Open qualifying, a result that underscores her struggle to maintain the level expected of a former top-10 player. Den Bosch represents a chance to reset on a surface where she has previously reached a final, and the grass swing offers a shorter format that rewards quick starts and sharp serving.
Why Mertens enters as favourite
Mertens won the Den Bosch title last year in one of the season's most dramatic finishes, saving 11 match points in the semifinals against Ekaterina Alexandrova before claiming the trophy. That triumph gives her proven pedigree on this court and in high-pressure moments. However, Mertens finished the clay season with a 5-4 record and lost early at Roland-Garros to Maja Chwalinska, so she is not arriving on a winning streak either.
What comes next
The first day of the Den Bosch tournament features six matches. The winner of the Andreescu-Mertens match will advance to the second round of the grass-court swing's opening event.