A spot in the next round is at stake on Thursday, when Danka Kovinic goes up against Julia Riera in the Rome round of 16. Julia Riera is rolling — 5 straight wins, 9 of 10 in recent play. Danka Kovinic comes in at 3 wins from the last ten.
There is no history here: this is their first tour-level meeting.
Neither the serve numbers nor the ratings separate these two by much, which is why our number stays close to even. Kovinic comes in off a compressed schedule; Riera comes in off a compressed schedule. Riera should have enough here, though Kovinic has the tools to make the scoreboard uncomfortable.