The final stops before the French Open this week feature two WTA 250 clay events in Strasbourg and Nürnberg. Just four of the Top 20 players will be in action as the marquee names rest ahead of Roland Garros.
Madison Keys and Jelena Jankovic headline Strasbourg while Andrea Petkovic and Angelique Kerber play in Nürnberg.
Monica Puig became the first Puerto Rican to win a WTA title here in Strasbourg last year but the defending champion is a $21 outsider after compiling a losing record of 10-13 this season.
Puig suffered back-to-back first round exits in Madrid and Rome with her last two defeats coming at the hands of Roberta Vinci and lucky loser Kristina Mladenovic.
Keys heads the market at $5 but her form can be up and down. Following a finals appearance in Charleston, the American was beaten by Kaia Kanepi in the opening round in Madrid and then was sent packing following a second round loss to qualifier Bojana Jovanovski.
In both of her defeats her second serve was woeful, which doesn’t inspire confidence.
Jankovic showed she was close to her best at Indian Wells when she served for the title against Simona Halep back in March. Although she did withdraw from Charleston with a right foot injury last month, her Rome performances suggest she has recovered.
The draw was relatively kind to the Serb with Christina McHale and Alizé Cornet drawing in the top half and I anticipate she can go well this week.
Follow Stephen on Twitter @sw064351
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