French Open Women's Betting: Kvitova eyes fourth round berth

Can Kvitova keep her 100% record against Kuznetsova?

The third round concludes in Paris on Saturday, and Abelson Info evaluate which stars will take a step closer to the second week of action...

With the top half of the draw beginning to take shape, attention switches to the bottom half on Saturday as a whole host of top names look to extend their stay in the French capital.

Amongst that pack of potential candidates for the title is Ana Ivanovic, who has undoubtedly found some solid form this year and will be desperate to add to her success here back in 2008.

The Serbian star has been relatively comfortable thus far, and looking at the draw she knows she has a great opportunity to make an extended run despite it being predictably tough.

However, she won't be looking beyond her next opponent, Lucie Safarova, who she has struggled against in the past having lost the last four meetings with her rival.

Nevertheless, they haven't played each other in almost two years, and given Ivanovic's current form, she should be confident.

Should she win, then she will face the winner of Petra Kvitova's clash with Svetlana Kuznetsova, and if history is anything to go by, then it may well be the former.

Kvitova has won all three of their previous contests but they have never met on clay, and while her opponent has enjoyed a decent year so far, particularly on this surface, the Czech's odds are worth taking note of in what is on paper a tight match to call.

Elsewhere, Sloane Stephens didn't disappoint last time out as she overcame Polona Hercog in straight sets as predicted, and the American has looked sharp this week.

She previously beat her opponent at this venue two years ago, and it would come as no surprise if she uses her power, crisp ground strokes and movement to seal another emphatic win.

As well as Ivanovic, our other tournament tip is still going strong and we expect Simona Halep to come through relatively untroubled in her third round encounter with Maria-Theresa Torro-Flor, while in-form Sara Errani will fancy her chances against Julia Glushko.

In contrast, things get a little trickier to call elsewhere on Saturday's schedule, with Jelena Jankovic taking on Sorana Cirstea, while Li Na's conqueror, Kristina Mladenovic, looks to continue her dream run on home soil against Andrea Petkovic.

Mladenovic is a huge outsider for this clash, but given that her win over Na was no fluke, there is no reason why she can't dream of the fourth round despite losing her only previous match with her opponent.

Meanwhile, sixth seed Jankovic could have a tough afternoon ahead as Cirstea has proven before, albeit a few years ago, that she has what it takes to beat her in Paris as well as winning their other meeting on this surface.

Recommended Bets

Back Kvitova to beat Kuznetsova @ 2.0621/20
Back Stephens to beat Makarova 2-0 @ 2.767/4