Top first-round matches to see in Stuttgart

The women’s road to Roland Garros heats up this week with the first big European clay-court event of the season. As always, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix features a small draw packed full of big names.

Here are three must-see first round matches:

1

Petra Kvitova vs. Angelique Kerber

In an incredible turn of fate, Kvitova and Kerber will face off on the exact same court they just battled on in Fed Cup action on Sunday. Despite the raucous home crowd support for Kerber, two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova played one of her best matches of the year to win 6-2, 6-2.

The win helped seal the Czech Republic's place in the Fed Cup final, meaning that Kerber will be eager to get revenge.

2

Maria Sharapova vs. Caroline Garcia

Since making her comeback from a 15-month doping suspension in Stuttgart last year, the draw gods have not been kind to Sharapova. It will be no different as she begins her clay-court season as the three-time Stuttgart winner will have her hands full with No. 6 seed Garcia.

She’ll need to look more like the player who has five Grand Slam titles to her name if she wants to end her current three-match losing streak.

3

Kristina Mladenovic vs. Anett Kontaveit

Both Mladenovic and Kontaveit have shown extreme promise over the last year, with Mladenovic cracking the Top 10 for the first time. But both have also struggled to reach the same heights this season. Kontaveit is riding a four-match losing streak, while Mladenovic seems to be recovering from the 15-match losing streak that she finally ended in February.

The Frenchwoman was fired up this past weekend in the Fed Cup semifinals, winning a three-set match over CoCo Vandeweghe. The U.S. would still get the win, 3-2.

Mladenovic was a finalist in Stuttgart last year while Kontaveit reached the quarterfinals, defeating Garbine Muguruza along the way. The winner of their popcorn match won’t have it any easier in round two, facing the winner of Kvitova and Kerber.

First round action in Stuttgart got underway on Monday, with Sharapova and Garcia scheduled for Tuesday.