Monterrey 2020: Final countdown

ORDER OF PLAY

ESTADIO GNP SEGUROS - 11:30 A.M. START
After 1 ATP match - not before 2:00 p.m.
Miyu KATO (JPN) / WANG Yafan (CHN) vs. Kateryna BONDARENKO (UKR) / Sharon FICHMAN (CAN)
Not before 4:30 p.m.
[1] Elina SVITOLINA (UKR) vs. [9] Marie BOUZKOVA (CZE)

MATCH POINTS 

Top seed Elina Svitolina and No.9 seed Marie Bouzkova will both be seeking their first title of 2020 in the final of the Abierto GNP Seguros. Bouzkova is contending the first tour-level final of her career, while Svitolina is playing her 17th and owns a 13-3 record in WTA finals to date.

The Ukrainian is playing her first final since losing to Ashleigh Barty in the championship match of the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen last October, and just her second since the start of last season. 

Bouzkova, a former US Open junior champion, has made Mexico a second home so far in her professional career. She made her WTA debut in Acapulco in 2015, reached the final of the WTA 125 Series event in Guadalajara last year, and won two ITF tournaments in the country - one in 2016 and one in 2018.

However, the 21-year-old Czech only entered the seeded players following the pre-tournament withdrawal of projected No.3 seed Yulia Putintseva. First slated to face Arantxa Rus, who ultimately reached the semifinals before losing to Svitolina, Bouzkova next was moved in the draw opposite Putintseva's compatriot Zarina Diyas, but ultimately faced Slovak lucky loser Kristina Kucova in her first match.

Neither player has lost a set so far this week, but Bouzkova has taken out two fellow seeds in No.8 seed Wang Yafan in the quarterfinals and No.2 seed Johanna Konta in the semifinals. 

The two have played once before, in the second round of the Guangzhou International Women's Open last September, and that match was won by the Czech when Svitolina retired due with right knee pain while trailing, 6-4, 4-3. 

Bouzkova, ranked World No.57 to start this week, is assured of making her Top 50 debut on Monday regardless of the result, while Svitolina could return to the Top 5 should she win the title, and Sofia Kenin finish runner-up in the Lyon final.