World No. 3 Angelique Kerber takes to the court for the first time in Wuhan on Tuesday as she goes up against American Madison Keys in the second match on Centre Court. In the most difficult second round match up, Keys at world No. 18 just missed being seeded here. While the German leads their head-to-head 7-2, she’ll have reason to be wary as Keys won their most recent meeting in a tight three-set encounter just a couple of months ago on the hard courts of Cincinnati. Keys has often been injured in 2018, dealing with thigh, rib, abdominal and wrist issues, but has still managed to reach two Grand Slam semis at the French and US Opens. If both players are healthy, this should be a terrific match featuring contrasting styles, pitting one of the hardest hitters in the women’s game in Keys against one of the best counter-punchers in Kerber who’s able to use her strong legs to absorb and deflect pace with her signature squat shot. If Keys is firing on all cylinders, the match will be on her racquet provided she’s patient and consistent enough to weather Kerber’s excellent defense.

The last match of the day session on Centre Court features two of the hottest players of the Asian Swing so far. Last week’s winner in Tokyo, No. 8 Karoline Pliskova, goes up against new Chinese No. 1 and Guangzhou champion, Qiang Wang. A lot has happened since the Czech won their last and only meeting in the third round here last year. Wang should be brimming with confidence with some stellar results in the last few weeks, having made the third round of the US Open, the semifinals in Hiroshima and hoisting her second title of the year in Guangzhou.

All Top 8 seeds who started the tournament will be in action on a packed Tuesday, including No. 1 Simona Halep vs. Dominika Cibulkova, No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki vs. qualifier Rebecca Peterson, No. 4 and defending Wuhan Open champion Caroline Garcia vs. qualifier Katerina Siniakova, two-time Wuhan Open champion and No. 5 Petra Kvitova vs. Aleksandra Krunic, and No. 6 Elina Svitolina vs. hard-hitting Aryna Sabalenka.

Two other Chinese players will also have to upset seeds to book third-round berths as wild card Saisai Zheng takes on No. 16 Ashleigh Barty and qualifier Xiyu Wang goes up against No. 13 Daria Kasatkina.

For the full order of play, or to buy tickets to the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, visit: www.wuhanopen.org and www.4008702014.com