MATCH POINTS
In a clash of rising young Slovenian talent, No.4 seed Tamara Zidansek and Kaja Juvan will meet for the second time in two months in the first round. In the Bol 125K semifinals, 21-year-old Zidansek had to come back from a 0-4 final-set deficit to overcome her 18-year-old compatriot 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 en route to defending her title.
No.2 seed Viktoria Kuzmova leads the head-to-head with Dalila Jakupovic 2-1, having won their two most recent meetings in Wimbledon qualifying in 2017 and in the Shenzhen ITF W60 event last year. However, the Slovenian won their only previous clay encounter, in the quarterfinals of the ITF W25 event in Bad Saulgau in 2016. Both come into Bucharest seeking to snap losing streaks: Kuzmova went 0-3 in the grass season after reaching her first Grand Slam third round at Roland Garros, while Jakupovic is on a seven-match losing streak stretching back to May (and is just 2-12 in WTA main draws this year).
Anhelina Kalinina plays her first WTA main draw since stretching Sloane Stephens to three sets on her Grand Slam debut at last year's US Open. The Ukrainian faces No.6 seed Laura Siegemund; their only previous meeting was the 2015 Pelham ITF W25 final, which Kalinina won 6-3, 7-5.
Former Roland Garros junior champion Paula Badosa and 's-Hertogenbosch semifinalist Elena Rybakina meet for the second time. Their prior encounter was a 7-6(6), 2-6, 7-5 epic in the first round of qualifying at last year's Moscow River Cup.
Former doubles World No.1 Bethanie Mattek-Sands returns to singles action for the first time since the Australian Open against Ysaline Bonaventure, and is seeking her first singles win since defeating Johanna Larsson in the first round of Roland Garros last year.
ORDER OF PLAY (all courts start 10am)
CENTRE
Qualifying - Nicoleta DASCALU (ROU) vs [6] Alexandra CADANTU (ROU)
Not before 2pm
Dalila JAKUPOVIC (SLO) vs [2] Viktoria KUZMOVA (SVK)
Anhelina KALININA (UKR) vs [6] Laura SIEGEMUND (GER)
[4] Tamara ZIDANSEK (SLO) vs Kaja JUVAN (SLO)
Not before 8pm
Bethanie MATTEK-SANDS (USA) vs Ysaline BONAVENTURE (BEL)
GRANDSTAND
Qualifying - [WC] Patricia Maria TIG (ROU) vs Marina MELNIKOVA (RUS) (to finish 5-7, 6-1, 2-0)
Qualifying - [3] Anna BONDAR (HUN) vs Marie BENOIT (BEL)
Not before 2pm
Qualifying - XU Shilin (CHN) vs Nicoleta DASCALU (ROU) or [6] Alexandra CADANTU (ROU)
[7] Aliona BOLSOVA (ESP) vs Varvara FLINK (RUS)
Paula BADOSA (ESP) vs Elena RYBAKINA (KAZ)
COURT 4
Qualifying - Sara ERRANI (ITA) vs Isabella SHINIKOVA (BUL) (to finish 3-6)
Not before 2pm
Sara ERRANI (ITA) or Isabella SHINIKOVA (BUL) vs [WC] Patricia Maria TIG (ROU) or Marina MELNIKOVA (RUS)
[3] Lara ARRUABARRENA (ESP) / Ivana JOROVIC (SRB) vs Jaqueline CRISTIAN (ROU) / Elena-Gabriela RUSE (ROU)
COURT 6
Qualifying - Jaimee FOURLIS (AUS) vs [8] Basak ERAYDIN (TUR) (to finish 7-5, 0-3)
Not before 2pm
Qualifying - [4] Tereza MRDEZA (CRO) vs Jaimee FOURLIS (AUS) or [8] Basak ERAYDIN (TUR)
Not before 3.30pm
Qualifying - [3] Anna BONDAR (HUN) or Marie BENOIT (BEL) vs [7] Martina DI GIUSEPPE (ITA)
