Preview and Predictions for matches on Thursday, April 29.

The Internazionali BNL D'Italia in Rome, Italy has now reached the round of 16.

(unseeded) Ernests Gulbis  vs.  (unseeded) Fillippo Volandri

Gulbis is coming off two impressive wins so far this week.  In the first round he took out Marcos Baghdatis, and in the second round he topped that victory with probably his biggest win of his career when he defeated #1 player in the world Roger Federer.  Gulbis has to be on an all time high right now.  Feeling even better than when he got busted with that Swedish hooker last year... Filippo Volandri got into this tournament as a wild card.  He beat qualifier Peter Luczak and Julien Benneteau to get to the 3rd round.  Gulbis is riding a wave of momentem and is too talented to lose to this guy.  Volandri doesn't have much of a chance.

Pick -  Gulbis

RESULT:  Ernests Gulbis 6-2, 3-6, 7-6

(#11 seed) Ivan Ljubicic  vs.  (unseeded) Feliciano Lopez

On paper this looks like a win for Ljubicic, well the match will not be played on paper but on the red clay instead.  Ljubicic had a nice victory a few weeks back on the hardcourts, but this is clay and Lopez who is from Spain seems to be at home on this surface, just like many of his other countrymen.  Lopez pulled out a tough one against Marin Cilic to be able to face Ljubicic.  I think Lopez will be too much for the veteran Ljubicic who will wear down and lose a 3 setter.

Pick - Lopez

RESULT:  Feliciano Lopez 0-0 (retired)  I guess the old man had a hard time getting out of bed.

(#3 seed) Rafael Nadal  vs.  (unseeded) Victor Hanescu

Hanescu doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of beating Nadal in this one.  This is Tiger Woods standing over a quarter of an inch putt.  Too easy, a gimme.

Pick - Nadal

RESULT:  Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2.

(unseeded) Stanislas Wawrinka  vs.  (#5) Robin Soderling

Intriguing matchup here.  Soderling is coming around to the clay form of last year that put him in the French Open final.  Wawrinka is a solid vet who will battle and give almost anyone a tough time.  This is a tough match to call, but I'm going to take Soderling to win a close 3 setter.

Pick - Soderling

RESULT:  Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-2.

(#7 seed) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga  vs.  (unseeded) Santiago Giraldo

I don't know a whole lot about Santiago Giraldo.  I do know that he is a clay court specialist who beat Juan Carlos Ferrero who was on a hot streak easily in the first round.  Giraldo is comfortable and does his best work on the clay, but that won't be enough to beat Tsonga.  Tsonga will keep him off balance with his big serve and tough net game.  Tsonga will win this one in straight sets.

Pick - Tsonga

RESULT:  Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4.

(#13 seed) David Ferrer  vs.  (#4 seed Andy Murray)

This is the match of the day.  Murray has admitted to a lack of confidence in his game of late, and finally broke a losing streak a couple days ago when he beat Andreas Seppi...David Ferrer has been the 2nd best player behind Nadal this clay court season.  He has a win, reached a final, and was a semifinalist so far on the clay.  Murray's head isn't quite right yet, and playing someone like Ferrer isn't going to help.  Daveeeeeed to pull the upset.

Pick - Ferrer

RESULT:  David Ferrer 6-3, 6-4.

(#6 seed) Fernando Verdasco  vs.  (unseeded) Guillermo Garcia-Lopez

Garcia-Lopez has been sneaking up and upsetting a lot of players in the last few weeks.  The guy isn't well known, and is just thriving on the clay so far.  He won't be able to fool Verdasco.  Verdasco is coming off a tournament title last week, and has been playing great tennis on the clay.  The only chance Garcia-Lopez has is if Verdasco is wearing down from playing so much in the last couple weeks.  I think Verdasco will win this one, but Garcia-Lopez will give him a scare.

Pick - Verdasco

RESULT:  Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 7-6

(unseeded) Thomaz Bellucci  vs.  (#2 seed) Novak Djokovic

Bellucci is a solid clay court player from Brazil, but he doesn't have the game to really challenge Djokovic.  Look for a 6-2, 6-4ish victory for the Serb.

Pick - Djokovic

RESULT:  Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4.

The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart Germany is also in the round of 16.  Only 6 matches left to be played., Na Li and Shahar Peer have already advanced to the quarterfinals with upset victories.

(#1 seed) Caroline Wozniacki  vs.  (unseeded) Lucie Safarova

This is Wozniacki's first match since rolling her ankle a couple weeks ago in Charleston.  The bad news is it might still be tender and hamper her movement.  Or possibly she might not be mentally ready to try to slide around on it in fear of hurting it again.  The good news is even on a gimpy ankle Safarova doesn't have much of a chance of winning this one.

Pick - Wozniacki

RESULT:  Lucie Safarova 6-4, 6-4.

(unseeded) Anna Lapushchenkova  vs.  (#6 seed)  Victoria Azarenka

Who the hell is Anna Lapushchenkova?  I have no clue.  Victoria Azarenka will lay out a beatdown in this one.

Pick - Azarenka

RESULT:  Anna Lapuschchenkova 6-3, 6-3.

(unseeded) Alexandra Dulgheru  vs.  (#7 seed) Samantha Stosur

Stosur has been playing great on clay lately.  Dulgheru won't even be much of a challenge for the surging Aussie.  Stosur in straight sets.

Pick - Stosur

RESULT:  Samantha Stosur 3-6, 6-0, 6-2.

(#8 seed) Yanina Wickmayer  vs.  (unseeded) Justine Henin

Fellow Belgian Fed Cup team member meeting in the match of the day in Stuttgart.  Wickmayer's coach/dad isn't much of a fan of Henin, and that adds to the intrigue of this match.  Henin before her retirement was far and away the best clay court womens player in the world.  She is still rusty, but is playing better.  Another thing to look for is how the broken finger is affecting Henin's game.  Henin has some question marks surrounding her, but she still has more talent than Wickmayer, and with a little motivation from Wickmayer's dad to push her, Henin will win this one.

Pick - Henin

RESULT:  Justine Henin 6-3, 7-5.

(unseeded) Tsvetana Pironkova  vs.  (#4 seed) Jelena Jankovic

Pironkova will push Jankovic to three sets, but Jankovic will grit out a tough win.

Pick - Jankovic

RESULT:  Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 6-2.

(unseeded) Agnes Szavay  vs.  (#2 seed) Dinara Safina

Safina is finally back playing after being out for 3 months with a back injury.  Safina wasn't playing all that well in Australia, and 3 months of match rust is tough to shake off.  This totally points to a Szavay upset. 

Pick - Szavay

RESULT:  Dinara Safina 7-6, 3-6, 6-0.

These matches will be the quarterfinals of the Fes, Morocco WTA tournament.

(unseeded) Anne Keothavong  vs.  (unseeded) Alize Cornet

Anne Keothavong benefitted from Carla Suarez Navarro's ankle injury in the 2nd round.  Now she must face the former #11 ranked player in the world Alize Cornet.  Cornet has been playing like garbage the last year or so.  She has won back-to-back matches only 3 times in the last year.  So can she make it 3 in a row?  I think she can, but it won't be easy. 

Pick - Cornet

RESULT:  Alize Cornet 7-5, 6-2.

(unseeded) Laura Pous Tio  vs.  (#7 seed) Iveta Benesova

I know little to nothing about Pous Tio.  I do know she is Spanish and seems to play well on clay, since the last few weeks of the clay season are the only time I have ever heard of her.  Benesova is the #7 seed, so I'll play it safe and stick with her.  I wouldn't be shocked to see a Pous Tio upset either.  Its a flip of a coin.

Pick - Benesova

RESULT:  Iveta Benesova 2-6, 6-1, 6-0.

(#5 seed) Angelique Kerber  vs.  (unseeded) Renata Voracova

Voracova will take out the #5 seed Kerber in this one.  Why? you ask.  I'm not sure.  Its a hunch.

Pick - Voracova

RESULT:  Renata Voracova 7-5, 6-2.

(unseeded) Simona Halep  vs.  (#2 seed) Patty Schnyder

All I know about Halep is that she had a breast reduction to help her play better, and that she seems to be good on clay.  Patty Schnyder is in the twilight of her career.  The one time top 15 player just doesn't play like she used to.  Halep will take out the vet to advance to the semifinals.

Pick - Halep

RESULT:  Simona Halep 6-2, 7-6.