WTA Top 3 — Osaka, Barty, Pliskova — Lead Way At Birmingham

The Top 3 women in the world — Naomi Osaka, Ash Barty and Karolina Pliskova — headline the Birmingham grass event this week. A rarity on the women’s for a lower level, non-top Premier event.

Not only will the title be at stake, but so too the No. 1 ranking as all three can end the week on top.

French Open semifinalist Johanna Konta, former Wimbledon Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka are also in the field.

Osaka faces Maria Sakkari, Konta clashes with Anett Kontaveit, Venus meets Sasnovich and Barty battles Vekic in a match of two former finalists.

Projected quarterfinal match-ups: 1 Osaka v 8 Goerges, 4 Svitolina v 7 Konta, 5 Sabalenka v 3 Pliskova, 6 Wang v 2 Barty.

Last year, Petra Kvitova took the title over Magdalena Rybarikova. No former champions are in the field.