Fifth seed Linda Noskova meets Elena-Gabriela Ruse, who leads the head-to-head 1-0 after a 6-1, 6-3 win in Bad Homburg in June. That meeting was on grass, and they have never played on hard courts.
Noskova is ranked 6th with a 38-14 record, though her hard-court mark of 15-9 is her weakest surface split. She still owns one of the heaviest serves and flattest forehands on tour, and hard courts reward that first-strike style. She also beat Svitolina in Billie Jean King Cup play recently, which suggests her form is sound.
Ruse, ranked 62nd, beat Lilli Tagger 6-4, 6-2 with 23 winners. She is an aggressive, left-field player who takes time away from opponents and showed in June that she can disrupt Noskova's rhythm. Her record of 14-11 on hard is respectable.
Noskova should be motivated to avenge the loss. If her serve holds up, the pace and bounce on hard court favour her.
Prediction: Noskova to win in straight sets. Confidence: medium-high.