Half the players contesting the Hobart International quarter finals started the tournament as qualifiers, with at least one guaranteed a semi-finals berth.
The final eight playoff on Thursday, with top-seed Kiki Bertens starting proceedings and expected to overcome Belgian qualifier Elise Mertens.
“I’ve never played her but off the court we know each other good … she’s a great young player and had a good run last year so I have to play good and hopefully I can get the win,” Bertens said.
In the day’s second match Croatian world No.340 Jana Fett meets Paraguay’s Veronica Cepede Royg, ranked 129.
After starting the tournament as qualifiers, both players will be keen to progress after their success in Hobart meant they missed the chance to qualify for the Australian Open.
“It’ll be tough for sure, she can play really good, but I think I have a good chance,” Fett said.
Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko takes on American Shelby Rogers.
“She’s beaten a lot of very impressive players, we played once, a while back, but she’s solid, there’s no real holes in her game so I have to bring my A-game,” Rogers said of her challenger.
In the evening match, Japanese qualifier Risa Ozaki will try to topple Romanian Monica Niculescu.
Ozaki on Wednesday caused a surprise, ending the Hobart campaign of former world No.5 Lucie Safarova.