Hingis, the top seed from Switzerland, is on her best run since winning six consecutive titles to start the 1997 season. She has not lost since the semifinals of the U.S. Open, picking up singles crowns at Filderstadt, Zurich, and Moscow.

Overall, the 20-year-old Hingis has won a WTA Tour-leading eight titles this season and owns a 70-9 match record.

The 17-year-old Bovina has played mostly on the ITF Challenger Circuit, winning three titles. On the WTA Tour, she reached the quarterfinals in Tashkent in June.

Australian Open champion Lindsay Davenport of the United States, the second seed, hopes to regain her energy this week as she prepares to defend her title here and next week in New York at the Chase Championships. She brings a 6-0 lifetime record against Lisa Raymond as the two Americans square off tonight.

Davenport stopped Venus Williams' 35-match winning streak and ended her own title drought three weeks ago at the Generali Ladies Open. She had gone 0-6 in championship matches since her last tournament win at Indian Wells in March.

However, Davenport, who beat Hingis last year to win this event, pulled out of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow the following week due to fatigue.

Third seed Conchita Martinez of Spain and No. 7 Amanda Coetzer each encounter lucky losers in their second-round matches. Martinez faces Canadian Renata Kolbovic and Coetzer meets American Jennifer Hopkins.

In the remaining first-round match, eighth seed Jennifer Capriati of the United States goes against countrywoman Meghann Shaughnessy. Capriati, runner-up here in 1991, reached the final of last week's Bell Challenge at Quebec City, losing to Chanda Rubin. She won the ninth title of her career last month at Luxembourg.

Shaughnessy is enjoying the best season of her career, capturing her first singles title last month at Shanghai.

First prize is $87,000.