Yulia Putintseva, who secured her place in the final two after stemming the flow of an in-form Eilsabetta Cocciaretto, will be joined by Ajla Tomljanovic in a sure-to-be suspenseful final on Sunday.

Putintseva capped off her best run on the grass to date by becoming the first Kazakhstani player to reach the final at the Rothesay Classic.

This week, Cocciaretto demonstrated she performs well under pressure, but the world No.41 Putintseva proved too hard a nut to crack in the opening semi-final of the day, dictating the terms of engagement to capture a 6-2, 6-2 victory in one hour and 25 minutes.

In the opening set, Putintseva looked the more comfortable on serve even with both returning with real venom.

Despite the Italian’s impressive defensive cross-court coverage, a point packed with shot variety on the Cocciaretto serve would catapult Putintseva into commanding position at 4-2 before winning four successive games to take one step closer to the final.

Two-time Tour-level champion Putintseva continued to dominate as the match entered the second set, winning another five straight games to leave Cocciaretto trailing a set and a double break.

However, Cocciaretto, who also achieved her best run on the surface this week, defended three match points before riding her luck to retrieve one of the breaks against her thanks to back-to-back net cords.

But the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix champion immediately won match point on the Italian’s service game to triumph on match point No.4.

Next on the Ann Jones Centre Court, the world No.190 Tomljanovic ousted seventh seed Anastasia Potapova 7-6(5), 6-4 to book her first-ever grass final.

A subdued start for the No.7 seed was salvaged by late signs of vintage Potapova, saving match point before winning three successive games to edge ahead for the first time in the match.

As the opening set tiebreak got underway, the back-to-back Wimbledon quarter-finalist Tomljanovic appeared to have yielded her advantage after Potapova crawled back from 5-0, but a backhand down the line caught wide for the world No.36 gifted Tomljanovic the set.

However, Potapova harboured ambition to stay in the match, dialling up the aggression to stay on serve in the second.

A late surge at 5-4 from the Australian gifted her a possible three match points on the Potapova serve, but she needed only the one after her opponent’s backhand was yet again caught by the net, handing her the break and the match in one hour and 32 minutes.

Doubles

The world No.1 and No.3 in doubles, Elise Mertens and Su-Wei Hsieh, showcased just why they entered the tournament as top seeds after trouncing Asia Muhammed and Aldila Sutjiadi 6-1, 6-2.

The recently crowned Australian Open champions will look to add title No.3 to the list since joining forces.

The Belgium, Taiwanese duo will face newly formed partnership Miyu Kato and Shuai Zhang in Sunday’s final following their 6-3, 6-2 upset against third seeds Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Anastasia Potapova, Yulia Putintseva and Ajla Tomljanovic march into the semi-finals after their respective wins at the Edgbaston Priory Club.

Italy’s Cocciaretto continues her stellar run on the grass after 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory over 20-year-old Diana Shnaider, securing the first of four semi-final spots available.

Following the opening three-set tussle on the Ann Jones Centre Court was a showdown between seeds as Potapova ousted Barbora Krejcikova 6-1, 6-4 in their third meeting.

Krejcikova, who is one of three unseeded champions to win the Roland Garros in the Open Era, was left unable to extricate herself from an unforgiving 5-0 deficit, winning only 17% on the first serve in the opening 20 minutes of the match.

In the second set, the former world No.2 Krejcikova successfully held three consecutive service games, but Potapova’s variety of unplayable shots soon led to the Czech yielding at 4-3.

The No.7 seed Potapova continued to grow in strength, making marked improvements on the delivery of her second serve as she blitzed into the semi-finals here for a second time.

Joining Potapova and Cocciaretto in the final four will be three-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist Tomljanovic after capturing a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over sixth seed, and the 2021 US Open runner-up, Leylah Fernandez.

Fernandez cruised through the opening set, winning five consecutive games to whet her appetite upon entering the second.

As the Canadian poised herself to gallop towards a straight-sets feat, Tomljanovic leveraged her experience to produce the grass court flair she so often showcased at SW19, retrieving the break against her before earning a second to call for a decider.

With the penultimate set under her belt, 31-year-old Fernandez earned a cushioning match-winning double break to book her first-ever quarter-final on the grass.

Elsewhere, Kazakhstan’s Putintseva stemmed the flow of lucky loser Caroline Dolehide after 6-3, 6(2)-7, 6-1 victory, catapulting the world No.41 into the semi-finals.

Putintseva will play in-form Cocciaretto in a bid to solidify her place in the final.

Doubles

Olivia Nicholls and Slovakia’s Tereza Mihalikova bow out 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to Asia Muhammed and Aldila Sutjiadi, who together own a combined 14 doubles titles.

Muhammed and Sutjiadi will now play top seeds Elise Mertens and Su-Wei Hsieh for a place in the final.

The last British player standing Harriet Dart exited the second round in Birmingham after losing 6-3, 6-4 to former Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova, while Yulia Putintseva, Diana Shnaider and lucky loser Caroline Dolehide all progress to the quarter-finals.

Despite British No.2 Dart forcing the former Grand Slam champion to swat away multiple break points in the opening game, second seed Krejcikova awaited her moment to strike at 4-2 to claim the set-winning break.

Krejcikova, who last year reached the final on debut, earnt a cushioning double break in the second set, leaving the Briton with a tall order to answer.

Dart dug-deep to recover one of two break points while the Czech was serving for the match, but the world No.25 Krejcikova wasn’t to make the same mistake twice, sealing the match with a critical hold to sail into the quarter-finals after one hour and 27 minutes.

Meanwhile, following Putintseva’s 6-3, 6-0 trouncing over Anhelina Kalinina, eighth seed Marie Bouzkova and Shnaider were next on the Ann Jones Centre Court.

Snaider, ranked 49, continued her run of form on the grass in her maiden appearance at the tournament, defeating Bouzkova 7-6(5), 6-3.

Microcosmic of her unpredictability on court, several unforced errors from Schanider paved the way for the 2022 Prague Open champion Bouzkova to race to a double break, but Snaider would soon move up the gears to replace a 4-0 deficit with a 5-4 advantage.

An immediate response from the Czech to get back on serve signalled that neither party was ready to concede as they sped towards a tie-break.

20-year-old Snaider again responded from a mini-break behind, winning three consecutive points to eventually secure the set.

In stark contrast to the opening minutes of the match, the world No.49 Snaider won three consecutive games to edge ahead in the decider before the eighth seed battled back to retrieve one of the service breaks against her.

However, Snaider quickly rebuilt her advantage to seal one of the three remaining quarter-final places in just short of two hours of play.

Elsewhere, lucky loser Dolehide grabbed the final quarter-final spot after the No.5 seed Elise Mertens retired from the match due to a hip injury.

Doubles

Heather Watson withdrew from the doubles quarter-final due to injury alongside Greet Minnen, gifting beneficiaries Miyu Kato and Shuai Zhang a place in the semi-finals.

Leylah Fernandez, Ajla Tomljanovic and Elisabetta Cocciaretto record wins in Birmingham to earn their place in the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time.

Debutant Cocciaretto continues her stellar run in just her third career grass-court tournament after defeating former US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-2.

The 23-year old’s clash with the American came after delivering an upset over reigning champion, and top seed, Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round.

Cocciaretto and Stephens’ match on the Ann Jones Centre Court followed a scintillating 6(6)-7, 6-1, 6-4 showdown between victor Tomljanovic and Lin Zhu.

Former quarter-finalist Stephens was forced to save break point en route to winning her opening game in the first set, but a nervy service game from the Italian provided her an early opportunity to take the lead, which she soon capitalised on.

However, the longest game of the set saw Cocciarretto fend off three break points and create four game points to secure a crucial hold, quickly turning her fortune around as an immediate return of break followed.

From 4-1 behind to a double break ahead, the Italian National won the set before storming ahead in the second, winning over 80% of points on her first and second serve in a seamless performance.

The Italian closed out the match in one hour and 20 minutes, capping off an impressive start to the tournament by booking her first quarter-final on the grass.

She will play the winner of the second-round match between Marie Bouzkova and Diana Shnaider.

A second three-set thriller of day five came after 2021 US Open finalist Fernandez recovered from a set down to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 against qualifier Viktorija Golubic.

Both Fernandez and Golubic delivered in a match of fine margins as momentum was continually exchanged.

After seizing the opening set, the Suisse was first to attack in the penultimate, leaving Fernandez in unsteady water as she trailed a set and a break.

Yet, in the wake of a total seven breaks of serve, it would be the sixth seed who would ultimately prevail after breaking for the fourth time to level the scoreline.

Three-time Tour level champion Fernandez regained rhythm in the remaining 43 minutes of the match, breaking to love at 4-2 before eventually grounding out a victory in two hours and 20 minutes.

The world No.3 is slated to play Australia’s Tomljanovic on Thursday.

The final singles match of the day finished with a 6-3, 7-5 win for last year’s semi-finalist Anastasia Potapova as she becomes the tournament’s fourth listed quarter-finalist of the 2024 grass-court season.

The seventh seed is scheduled to play the victor of the second-round meeting between home favourite Harriet Dart and last year’s finalist Barbora Krejcikova.

Doubles 

Heather Watson and Belgium’s Greet Minnen stunned on Court 1 after thwarting the hopes of the reigning US Open doubles champions, Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe, in a 6-3, 6-2 triumph.

The British, Belgian duo are scheduled to face Miyu Kato and Shuai Zhang in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden lost their opener 7-5, 7-5 against third seeds Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo, while Sam Murray Sharan and Eden Silva suffered a 6-0, 6-4 defeat in their quarter-final clash.

However, Dart’s campaign in the Midlands continues as she’s scheduled to play in the singles on Thursday for her second-round match against the world No.25 Barbora Krejcikova.

Harriet Dart leads the British charge after earning a place in the second round, while Heather Watson’s campaign in Birmingham comes to a close after a mighty three-set battle with Marie Bouzkova.

Meanwhile, Katie Boulter was forced to retire from her opening round match against Anhelina Kalinina.

Wildcard Dart sealed an opening round victory after defeating Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima 6-3, 6-3.

The Briton blitzed through the opening set, showing strength on her first serve, and forcing the world No.72 to error, but there were still obstacles ahead for the crowd favourite.

Uchijima settled into the second as the pair duelled in a battle of the breaks, both struggling to stay on serve despite the deceiving 4-2 scoreline.

After five breaks between them, Dart made a crucial hold, swatting away two break points to create a 5-2 lead before eventually securing the victory in one hour and 24 minutes.

Watson, who was also given a wildcard, bowed out of the tournament following a tense 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 showdown with Bouzkova.

The British No.6, who reached the semi-finals of the tournament in 2021, produced 30 more percentage points on her first serve compared to the Czech to win the first set.

Yet, a change in momentum in Bouzkova's favour saw the match go the distance, despite a medical time out for the Brit raising some concern.  

Following her treatment, Watson sped off the blocks as the third set got underway, but a roaring come back from 4-1 down from the eighth seed made for a nail-biting final sprint.

A late double break by the world No.37 signified it was all over for Watson as the Czech sneaked across the finish line in two hours and 53 minutes.  

Recent collegiate tennis graduate, Amelia Rajecki, would also suffer the same fate after losing 7-5, 6-3 to the world No.49 Diana Shnaider in her maiden WTA main draw appearance.

Ranked world No.884, Rajecki produced a commendable performance, forcing her opponent to fight back from 4-1 behind to win the first set while only losing by a solitary break of serve in the second.

Elsewhere, Elise Mertens grounded out her first ever victory against former Grand Slam champion Caroline Wozniacki, winning 6-4, 6-2 on the Ann Jones Centre Court.

Wozniacki won all two of their previous encounters, defeating Mertens in the semi-finals of Bastad in 2017 and again in the semi-finals of the Australian Open six months later.

Both known for their defensive style of play, Mertens and Wozniacki hit with great depth throughout the match as they battled at baseline, but the Belgian’s precision and spatial intelligence gave her the edge to close out the match in one hour and 33 minutes.

Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ranked world No.44, produced an upset in Birmingham after her shock 6-3, 6-3 victory over reigning champion, and top seed, Jelena Ostapenko.

Ostapenko, ranked world No.13, exits the first round of the tournament for the first time in her six appearances at the Edgbaston Priory Club.

The former Roland Garros champion produced a subdued performance in the first set, showing signs of weakness on her second serve.

Despite the Latvian settling into the match in the decider, Cocciaretto remained in commanding position to earn a solitary break to take a 5-2 lead.

Ostapenko, who seemed on the cusp of a breakthrough, conjured four immediate break points on the Italian’s serve, but Cocciaretto successfully kept her at bay.

After a mighty hold by the reigning champion, coming back from the brink after Cocciaretto was awarded three match points, it seemed an Ostapenko special was on the cards.

However, Cocciaretto would eventually prevail on serve on her seventh match point, sealing a straight-sets victory in one hour and 42 minutes.

Meanwhile, former US Open champion Sloane Stephens sails into the second round after her 6-3, 6-3 win over China’s Yue Yuan.

The opening set alone accounted for six of seven breaks of serve won by both players throughout the match.

However, after claiming three consecutive games at the tail end of the set, the American edged ahead before consolidating her efforts with a solitary break in the second to seal the match in one hour and 27 minutes.

Leylah Fernandez was last up on the Ann Jones Centre Court, producing a scintillating return to the tournament to breeze through to the second round after a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Elsewhere, a second seeded player bowed out on day one of the main draw after third seed, Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, suffered a 7-6(2), 6-2 defeat to China’s Lin Zhu.

Ajla Tomljanovic and last year’s semi-finalist Anastasia Potapova also banked wins to advance to second round.

Doubles

Wildcards Freya Christie and Alicia Barnett lost out 6-1, 6-1 to top seeds, Elise Mertens and Su-Wei Hsieh.

Former collegiate player Amelia Rajecki secured her place in her first WTA main draw after 6-3, 6(5)-7, 6-4 upset over the ninth seed in qualifying, Katie Volynets.

Rajecki sealed the opening set before recovering from a break down in the second as she came in touching distance of a straight-sets victory. But the American regained momentum to edge ahead of the home favourite, securing the tiebreak on her fourth set point.

With two sets apiece, the Brit showcased her mental strength in the final sprint, bouncing back from a 4-0 deficit to win an impressive six successive games, earning the victory in two hours and 13 minutes.

Others through to the main draw include Viktorija Golubic, Elina Avanesyan, Daria Saville, Camila Osorio and Moyuka Uchijima.

First round of qualifying kicked-off the week-long action at the Edgbaston Priory Cub despite rain delays forcing play into the late afternoon.

Wildcard, Amelia Rajecki ousted seeded qualifier, Yafan Wang, in a nail-biting 7-6(5), 7-6(6) victory to reach the second round of qualifying.

Rajecki is slated to play Grey’s victor Volynets in the next round.

However, Britain’s Sarah Beth Grey, who started proceedings on Centre Court, would eventually exit the tournament after her 6-4, 6-2 defeat to America’s Katie Volynets, followed by Freya Christie, Eden Silva, Emily Appleton and Mika Stojsavljevic after their respective losses.

Viktorija Golubic, Elina Avanesyan, Daria Saville, Tereza Martincova, Camila Osorio and Cristina Bucsa also join Britain's Rajecki in progressing to the next round, while Linda Fruhvirtova received a bye to solidify her place.