Not been a very good start to the week with three losers and one voided, but there is still time to get back on the road to recovery with a lot of tennis scheduled for the next few days.
I will actually be having a week off from the tennis picks from the weekend with the tournaments next week not the best ahead of the Masters/Premier Events in Madrid and Rome and then we will only be a couple of weeks away from the French Open.
Philipp Kohlschreiber - 3.5 games v Andrey Kuznetsov: Philipp Kohlschreiber is clearly a player on the wane having passed his 30th birthday, but I think he is very comfortable on the clay courts and should be too good for Andrey Kuznetsov. The latter does have a slight advantage having played a match in Barcelona already, but I think Kuznetsov is going to have to dig very deep to see off Kohlschreiber.
These two did have a very tight match here in Barcelona two years ago, but I think the surface is one that should give Kohlschreiber an advantage. I believe he is going to be the more consistent player off the ground and that is a key when it comes to the slower surfaces, while Kohlschreiber has a decent serve which should set him up in a strong position in those games.
You don't want to completely dismiss Kuznetsov's ability on the clay considering he has performed well in Challenger events, but he has failed to bring that form into the main Tour level and that is an issue.
After a poor start to 2015, I think there are signs that Kohlschreiber is picking up his play and I like him to come through 64, 64 in this Second Round match.
Belinda Bencic v Julia Goerges: The home support will be behind Julia Goerges in this match and she has had previous success on the clay courts, but her last three appearances in this event has seen the German go out earlier than anticipated.
The match up with Belinda Bencic is a really tough opening match for both players and I think the Swiss Miss will be looking for a bit of revenge having been battered by Goerges at the Australian Open in January.
Neither player has spent a lot of time on the clay courts this season so far, but I think Bencic is the better player, although Goerges can play some pretty unplayable stuff at times. However, I also think Goerges can be very erratic on the court and giving away free points to Bencic might give the latter the edge in the match.
I can see this match going the distance, but Bencic to be a little more consistent and move through to the Second Round.
Garbine Muguruza + 3.5 games v Simona Halep: The big question for Simona Halep is whether she has had enough rest to recover from a very busy period on her schedule. Some have criticised Halep for missing Fed Cup duty, but she has to do what is right for her and that means preparing for the clay court season which culminated in a French Open Final appearance twelve months ago.
The first match on a new surface is always a difficulty and it saw Halep beaten in her first match in Stuttgart last year and she has a very tough draw against Garbine Muguruza who had a comfortable First Round win.
Muguruza was a Semi Finalist at Roland Garros and should be comfortable on the clay courts having grown up in Spain, while she has the power to move Halep around the court. I think the key for Muguruza will be to attack the Halep serve and keep the Romanian on the back foot as much as possible and prevent her from dictating the points.
The indoor clay court may also mean Muguruza is able to hit through the ball more comfortably and there is a real chance she can cause the upset, but I will take the games in a match that might go the distance.
MY PICKS: Philipp Kohlschreiber - 3.5 Games @ 1.92 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Belinda Bencic @ 1.80 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Garbine Muguruza + 3.5 Games @ 1.85 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Weekly Update: 0-3, - 6 Units (6 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)
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