Bad Homburg Open draw: Jessica Pegula avoids Iga Swiatek as prize money confirmed
Top seed Jessica Pegula could meet Emma Navarro in the last eight of the Bad Homburg Open while she is projected to meet Mirra Andreeva in the semi-final, but at least she won’t face Iga Swiatek until the final.
World No 3 Pegula is the highest-ranked player in the field of the WTA 500 event in Germany and she, along with the other top four seeds, will have a bye into the second round.
The American will kick off her campaign against either Liudmila Samsonova – the player who upset her in the round of 16 in Berlin earlier this week – or a qualifier and if she reaches the quarter-final she could potentially face compatriot Navarro.
However, the fifth-seeded Navarro has a nightmare draw as she opens up against Marta Kostyuk before a possible encounter against Naomi Osaka, who starts against a qualifier.
Third seed Andreeva is the other headline player in the top half of the draw and the Russian faces either Magdalena Frech or Clara Tauson in the second round before a likely quarter-final encounter against regular doubles partner and Bad Homburg defending champion Diana Shnaider, who is seeded sixth.
The bottom half of the draw is highlighted by second seed Jasmine Paolini and the 2024 Wimbledon runner-up will face either Leylah Fernandez or newly crowned Queen’s Club champion Tatjana Maria in her opener while she is projected to meet seventh seed Elina Svitolina in the quarter-final.
Five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek has slipped to No 8 in the WTA Rankings and is thus seeded only fourth. She faces either Laura Siegemund or a qualifier in the second round with eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova a likely quarter-final opponent.
WTA News
The Bad Homburg event is Swiatek’s first tournament since losing in the semi-final of the French Open and it is also her only warm-up event on grass ahead of Wimbledon.
Paolini and Swiatek are the favourites to meet in the semi-final.
Projected Quarter-Finals:
Pegula v Navarro
Andreeva v Shnaider
Alexandrova v Swiatek
Svitolina v Paolini
Meanwhile, the prize money for the WTA 500 tournament has also been confirmed with organisers revealing the total commitment for the tournament sits at €954,000 ($1,1 million).
This year the winner will earn €142,610 (about $164,000) and 500 ranking points – although they are also defending points from the corresponding event 12 months ago – while the runner-up will receive €87,825 ($101,000) and 325 points.
Full points and prize-money breakdown:
First round: 1 point | €9,828
Second round: 60 points | €13,760
Quarter-finals: 108 points | €27,040
Semi-finals: 195 points | €51,305
Finalist: 325 points | €87,825
Champion: 500 points | €142,610
