MATCH POINTS
No.1 seed Karolina Pliskova is 4-1 against Polona Hercog, including a 6-1, 6-2 victory in their most recent meeting in the second round of Tianjin last year. Three of their previous matches have also taken place in Asia, including Hercog's only win in the series - a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 triumph in the first round of Beijing in 2014. The Slovenian will also be seeking her second career Top 10 win following her upset of Marion Bartoli in Charleston in 2012.
Compatriots and sometime Fed Cup teammates Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic will square off for the third time today. Garcia won their first meeting 7-6(4), 6-4 in the first round of Sydney in 2016, but Mladenovic was a 6-1, 6-2 victor in the first round of Rome this year.
No.6 seed Sofia Kenin has also split two previous meetings against Alizé Cornet, with Cornet taking their 2018 Cincinnati qualifying tilt 6-1, 6-3 and Kenin gaining revenge 6-2, 6-4 in this year's Hobart semifinals en route to winning her maiden title.
Lausanne champion Fiona Ferro made her first WTA quarterfinal just under a year ago on Chinese soil in Guangzhou, and is now bidding for her first quarterfinal showing at Premier level today against No.7 seed Petra Martic.
ORDER OF PLAY (all courts start 2pm)
CENTRE COURT
[7] Petra MARTIC (CRO) vs Fiona FERRO (FRA)
Alizé CORNET (FRA) vs [6] Sofia KENIN (USA)
[8] Caroline GARCIA (FRA) vs Kristina MLADENOVIC (FRA)
Not before 7pm
[1] Karolina PLISKOVA (CZE) vs Polona HERCOG (SLO)
Yanina WICKMAYER (BEL) / Tamara ZIDANSEK (SLO) vs [4] Shuko AOYAMA (JPN) / YANG Zhaoxuan (CHN)
COURT 1
Kaitlyn CHRISTIAN (USA) / Sharon FICHMAN (CAN) vs Alicja ROSOLSKA (POL) / Ajla TOMLJANOVIC (AUS)
Lesley PATTINAMA KERKHOVE (NED) / Bibiane SCHOOFS (NED) vs [2] DUAN Yingying (CHN) / ZHENG Saisai (CHN)
[3] Darija JURAK (CRO) / Alison RISKE (USA) vs Fiona FERRO (FRA) / Chloe PAQUET (FRA)
