ORDER OF PLAY

CENTRE COURT -- 12:00 noon start
[8] Anett KONTAVEIT (EST) vs. Ekaterina ALEXANDROVA (RUS)
Jelena OSTAPENKO (LAT) / Vera ZVONAREVA (RUS) vs. Victoria AZARENKA (BLR) / Karolina MUCHOVA (CZE)
Not before 2:30 pm
[Q] Sara SORRIBES TORMO (ESP) vs. Magda LINETTE (POL)
Not before 6:00 pm
[WC] Kristyna PLISKOVA (CZE) vs. Maria SAKKARI (GRE)
[Q] Barbora KREJCIKOVA (CZE) vs. [Q] Tereza MARTINCOVA (CZE)

COURT 1 -- 2:00 pm start
Gabriela DABROWSKI (CAN) / Luisa STEFANI (BRA) vs. Elena RYBAKINA (KAZ) / Dayana YASTREMSKA (UKR)
Lyudmyla KICHENOK (UKR) / ZHANG Shuai (CHN) vs. [3] Bethanie MATTEK-SANDS (USA) / Barbora STRYCOVA (CZE)

MATCH POINTS

The inaugural edition of the J&T Banka Ostrava Open makes its debut on the WTA calendar with a draw featuring two Top 10 players, including home favorite Karolina Pliskova and Elina Svitolina. Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka and wildcard Jelena Ostapenko also headline. 

No.8 seed Anett Kontaveit is the highest seed in action on Day 1, and she starts her campaign in Ostrava against Ekaterina Alexandrova. Kontaveit is playing her third hardcourt event since the season’s restart, having recorded a quarterfinal run at the Western & Southern Open in New York and a round of 16 finish at the US Open - falling to Naomi Osaka in both tournaments. 

Wildcard Kristyna Pliskova is looking to join her sister Karolina in the second round as she takes on Maria Sakkari, with the winner set to face top seed Elina Svitolina. Pliskova came away victorious in the pair’s most recent clash at the Palermo Ladies Open, winning 6-4, 6-4, but this will be their first meeting on hardcourts.

Including the Pliskova sisters, the main draw features five players from the host nation of Czech Republic, along with Karolina Muchova, Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Strycova. 

Two Czech qualifiers, Barbora Krejcikova and Tereza Martincova, also progressed into the main draw - and will face each other for the chance to play No.4 seed Azarenka.

US Open finalist Azarenka will be in action on Monday as he hits the doubles court with partner Muchova as they take on Ostapenko and Vera Zvonareva in the first round. 

Shot of the Month, September 2020: Karolina Pliskova