Tournament Updates and Preview for matches on Friday, April 16, 2010.

The Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in Monte Carlo, Monaco is at the quarterfinals stage.

Quarterfinal Matchups:

(#1 seed) Novak Djokovic  vs.  (unseeded) David Nalbandian

Djokovic is struggling to fix his service motion, and it has hindered his play the past few matches.  David Nalbandian is still trying to get over his injuries that have plagued him the last year or so.  Nalbandian seems to be improving with every match, and showing small glimpses of his former top 10 self, but my guess is his fitness isn't there yet, and fitness has always been a problem for Nalbandian in the past when healthy.  Djokovic will be a little too much for him to handle.

Pick - Djokovic

RESULT:  Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-3.

(unseeded) Albert Montanes  vs.  (#6) Fernando Verdasco

Albert Montanes is at home on the clay, and has already taken out a couple seeded players in Marcos Baghdatis and Marin Cilic.  Next up is another Spaniard in Fernando Verdasco who is also very comfortable on the clay.  Montanes' nice run will come to an end, and Verdasco should move on to a semifinal matchup with Djokovic.

Pick - Verdasco

RESULT:  Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-7, 6-0.

(#11) David Ferrer  vs.  (unseeded) Philipp Kohlschreiber

David Ferrer is showing that his best surface at this time is clay.  Most of the Spanish players are clay court specialists, which he is, but he has shown that he can also play well on hardcourts as well.  Kohlschreiber has good groundstrokes and his game suits a hardcourt type of surface, but living in Germany he has had experience on clay as well.  Ferrer has won a title on clay this year already, and reached the final of another clay court tournament.  I cannot go against a player who has already had a nice amount of success on clay just in the past couple months.  Ferrer will win a tough 3 setter.

Pick - Ferrer

RESULT:  David Ferrer 7-5, 7-6.

(#9) Juan Carlos Ferrero  vs.  (#2) Rafael Nadal

Juan Carlos Ferrero has 2 clay court tournament titles this year already, but that doesn't really matter when he is playing arguably the greatest clay court player in the history of tennis in Rafael Nadal.  Nadal has been just smashing his previous 2 opponents with ease.  Ferrero will put up a little more of a fight, but not enough to win.

Pick - Nadal

RESULT:  Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-2.

The Barcelona Ladies Open in Barcelona, Spain is the smaller of the two WTA events this week, and will have its semifinals matches on Friday.

(#1 seed) Francesca Schiavone  vs.  (unseeded) Yaroslava Shvedova

Francesca Schiavone the #1 seed has been solid so far this week.  And other than an ok run at the Australian Open, she hasn't really had a lot of success this season.  Shvedova has had some success, quiet success at that.  She has consistently been winning 2-3 matches in some of the smaller events and pulling some upsets over ranked opponents in the process.  Shvedova's game is at a better place right now, and I believe she will pull the mild upset.

Pick - Shvedova

RESULT:  Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-2.

(unseeded) Alexandra Dulgheru  vs.  (unseeded) Roberta Vinci

I must admit I do not know a whole lot about Dulgheru's game other than she seems to be a solid clay court player from Romania.  Vinci is the defending champion of this event and is basically at home on the clay and at this venue.  I think Vinci should win this match without a lot of trouble.

Pick - Vinci

RESULT:  Roberta Vinci 6-7, 6-1, 6-2.

The Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, United States is a WTA Premier event played on clay.  The quarterfinals will be played on Friday.

(#1) Caroline Wozniacki  vs.  (#6) Nadia Petrova

This is actually a tough match to predict.  Petrova is playing well, but hasn't really played a lot in the last couple of months, while Wozniacki has been playing non-stop for the past month.  Will all this tennis catch up to and wear down on the young Dane?  Petrova is too shaky for me to pick her, but I wouldn't be surprised if she does pull the upset.

Pick - Wozniacki

RESULT:  Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-4.

(#13) Melanie Oudin  vs.  (#7) Vera Zvonareva

Melanie Ouden will probaby be getting a lot of press in the United States for her nice tournament this week.  But when you look at her draw she hasn't beaten anyone to get to this point.  She has benefited from Azarenka retiring in her match, and all she has done is beat the likes of Jill Craybas, Sophie Ferguson, and Christina McHale...who?  Exactly, none of these players are even in the top 50.  Now she faces a top echelon player in Zvonareva.  Zvonareva has too much game and will put an end to the run of the "fools gold" that is Melanie Oudin.

Pick - Zvonareva

RESULT:  Vera Zvonareva 7-5, 6-2.

(unseeded) Shuai Peng  vs.  (#4) Samantha Stosur

This one is quite simple.  Stosur has waaaay too much game for Peng, and will win this one easily.

Pick - Stosur

RESULT:  Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-1.

(#8) Daniela Hantuchova  vs.  (#2) Jelena Jankovic

This is the match of the day in Charleston.  Hantuchova has had a nice spring, and Jankovic's game of quickness and defense is made for the clay.  I think Hantuchova will have just enough to beat Jankovic on Friday.  I'm not sure why, its just a hunch I have.  She has been playing well and Jankovic has been inconsistent.

Pick - Hantuchova

RESULT:  Daniela Hantuchova 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.