David Ferrer - 5.5 games v Feliciano Lopez: This is a slightly risky pick as Feliciano Lopez has a decent head to head record against David Ferrer, but I just don't think he has what it takes on the slower surfaces to hurt his compatriot.
Ferrer is one of the top clay court players in the World and the surface just aids his game further and makes him even harder to beat than on other surfaces. Lopez, on the other hand, needs a quicker surface for his serve and volley game, while his inconsistency on the back hand wing can be exposed on the slower surface where rallies are extended and developed.
With Lopez' serve not being as effective, I would think Ferrer will have plenty of opportunities to break serve so will take him to clear the handicap.
It has to be also noted that Ferrer is 3-0 against Lopez on clay courts as professionals and he has not lost more than 6 games in any of those 3 wins.
Fernando Verdasco - 2 games v Kei Nishikori: Fernando Verdasco has won his first two matches here fairly comfortably and I think he is still the better clay court player of the two involved in this match, although his lack of consistency is hurting him far more these days than it has since 2009.
Kei Nishikori is actually ranked higher than Verdasco these days, but I still am not completely sold on his game, particularly on the clay courts. Over the last twelve months, he has been beaten by the likes of Jeremy Chardy, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Pere Riba and Ryan Sweeting on this surface and I would favour his opponent today against any of those players.
As long as Verdasco can keep his emotions in check, he should be too good for the Japanese Number 1 and be able to record his second victory against him following a straight sets win at the Australian Open in 2011.
Maria Sharapova - 1.5 games v Samantha Stosur: Where to begin with this match but mentally as Samantha Stosur has lost 9 of the 10 meetings between herself and Maria Sharapova, even though that win did come in their last match at the end of last season- that was in the end of season Championships, but it was also a tournament when Sharapova was forced to pull out through injury.
Sharapova had won their 3 other meetings in 2011 and hadn't given up more than 6 games in any of those wins, including one on the clay courts of Rome.
The Russian has not played much recently, but I still consider her in the top 3 players on form and I think her overall game will be too strong for Stosur.
Stosur is very adept at playing on the clay courts, which is surprising as you think her serve would be less effective on the slower courts, and she has proven that by going 41-9 on the clay since the beginning of 2010.
However, the head to head favours Sharapova and I do think that she is the better player and will find a way to win this match.
MY PICKS: David Ferrer - 5.5 games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units) Playing in Barcelona
Fernando Verdasco - 2 games @ 1.90 Pinnacle (2 Units) Playing in Barcelona
Maria Sharapova - 1.5 games @ 1.92 Pinnacle (2 Units) Playing in Stuttgart
Weekly Update: 4-2, + 2.85 Units (11 Units Staked)
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