WTA Fantasy Tennis: Yayuk Basuki's picks for Birmingham

As the Race heads to Eastbourne, Yayuk Basuki gives advice on who you should pick for WTA Fantasy Tennis.

YAYUK BASUKI FANTASY PICKS:

Ashleigh Barty

“Ashleigh Barty, last year’s runner-up, has got everything – I just love her all-round style. The courts at Birmingham, being a bit heavier, give her time to play her smart tennis. She is strong from the baseline but can also play chip-and-charge, attacking tennis.”

Petra Kvitova

“Petra Kvitova of course has to be a favorite to defend the title she won so impressively last year, so soon after her comeback. With two Wimbledon titles, she’s proved her game is beautifully suited to grass and I think she’ll be glad to be back on this surface.”

Garbiñe Muguruza

“Garbiñe Muguruza will want to hit the ground running in Birmingham as she looks to defend her Wimbledon title. She’s coming off a great run to the semifinals at Roland Garros, so her confidence levels should be fairly high, which is key for her on every surface.”

Johanna Konta

“Johanna Konta hasn’t had her best results this season, but she’s a smart and handy player who knows how to compete well on grass. Last week’s run at Nottingham shows how comfortable she is on the surface, playing in front of the British fans.”

Looking to take a chance on your picks? Check out Yayuk Basuki's sleeper picks:

Sleeper Pick: Naomi Osaka

“Naomi Osaka has had a great season and she carried that over to the grass at Nottingham. She’s very talented and still very young, which means not so experienced on grass – I’m really curious to see how she goes across this swing.”

Sleeper Pick: Daria Kasatkina

“Daria Kasatkina has given some great players plenty of trouble this year and although her best results to date have been on hardcourts and clay, I feel that she has the diversity in her game to adapt well to grass. She’s a big fighter, and her game is maturing nicely.”

Sleeper Pick: Julia Goerges

“Julia Goerges obviously has that great serve, which is a huge weapon on grass. Together with her big groundstrokes and aggressive mindset, she’s a threat on any surface. She’s a very good doubles player too, which means she isn’t afraid of the net.”

Sleeper Pick: CoCo Vandeweghe

“CoCo Vandeweghe has a big serve with a nice kick, which is very effective on grass, as we’ve seen at Wimbledon and from her titles at Den Bosch. It’s important that her footwork and movement is at its best, to make the most of her weapons. Confidence makes her a contender.”