Preview for the Saturday, April 17, 2010 matches in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, and Charleston.

I'm coming off a 9-1 day yesterday, lets keep it going with another good day.

These are the semifinal matches of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in Monte-Carlo, Monaco

(#1 seed) Novak Djokovic  vs.  (#6) Fernando Verdasco

Djokovic has been tinkering with a new serve, and has had to deal with the firing of his former coach Todd Martin, so he has some distractions and technical issues in his game that need to be fixed.  Verdasco is reaching a Masters Series semifinal for the first time in his career.  I'm leaning toward a less distracted Verdasco to pull a minor upset.

Pick - Verdasco

RESULT:  Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-2.

(#11) David Ferrer  vs.  (#2) Rafael Nadal

David Ferrer has been playing terrific on the clay this year, and he is personally my favorite tennis player, but his tournament will end when he runs into the clay "buzzsaw" Rafael Nadal.  I'm just hoping for Daveeeeeeed to make it competitive and not embarass himself.  Nadal will win in straight sets.  Something like 6-3, 6-4.

Pick - Nadal

RESULT:  Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-3.

Saturday will be the final for the Barcelona Ladies Open in Barcelona, Spain.

(#1 seeded) Francesca Schiavone  vs.  (unseeded) Roberta Vinci

Roberta Vinci is looking to go back-to-back in Barcelona, but in order to do so she will have to beat the best player in the field.  Its definetly a possibility since Vinci has already taken out #2 seeded Arevane Rezai in the first round.  It absolutely is a possibility, but it won't happen.  Schiavone has been playing excellent this week handling Carla Suarez Navarro, and Yaroslava Shvedova easily to advance to the final.  Them two players right there are better players than Vinci right now, so Schiavone dethrones fellow Italian Vinci to win the Barcelona Ladies Open.

Pick - Schiavone

RESULT:  Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-1.

The two semifinals matches will be the focal point on Saturday at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, United States.

(#1 seeded) Caroline Wozniacki  vs.  (#7) Vera Zvonareva

I really want to pick Zvonareva to win this match, because I feel Wozniacki might be starting to fatigue from playing a lot of tennis the past few weeks.  A lot of factors point to a Zvonareva upset, but Zvonareva is so hard to predict due to her mental meltdowns she is so famous for.  If you jump on her early she will fold up and call it quits.  Wozniacki has the game to just keep returning the ball and letting Zvonareva kill herself with unforced errors.  After a few errors Zvonareva will be in "Chernobyl mode" and ready to just lay down and take her beating.

Pick - Wozniacki

RESULT:  Vera Zvonareva 5-2 (ret.)  Wozniacki retired in first set after "rolling" her ankle during a point.

(#4) Samantha Stosur  vs.  (#8) Daniela Hantuchova

Like Wozniacki, Hantuchova has been playing a lot of tennis as well.  She was able to outlast Jelena Jankovic in the last round going a full 3 sets, while Sam Stosur has been playing really well this week on the Charleson clay.  An Australian playing good on clay, who knew?  Stosur is on her game and will eeek out a victory over a tired Hantuchova.

Pick - Stosur

RESULT:  Samantha Stosur 6-3, 7-6.