Events / Ben Caudell / 01 May 2009 /

It's a South American battle to make the semis and Ben Caudell fancies the favourite.

The quarter-finals of the Rome Masters kicks off today featuring five of the six top seeds, led by three time champion Rafael Nadal, two time finalist Roger Federer, and last year's winner Novak Djokovic.

For the first time ever, two qualifiers, Juan Monaco, and Mischa Zverev, have reached the quarter finals. Zverev will meet the resurgent Federer who avenged his 2008 quarter final loss to Radek Stepanek by demolishing the Czech in two straights sets 6-4 6-1.

Nadal and Djokovic lost only three games between them in their defeats of Robin Soderling and Tommy Robredo. Both players showed exactly why they are regarded as clay court maestros and favourites to reach this year's final. Nadal has won 27 straight matches on clay going back to May 7, 2008 when he lost to countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second round (after a bye) in Rome. During the winning streak, he's won 65 of 69 sets. Since 2005, Nadal has compiled an outstanding 144-4 match record on clay a phenomenal feat in its own right and a record that we will never see the likes of again...

Today's Selections:

Juan Monaco (ARG) v Fernando Gonzalez (CHI)
This South American battle commences at 19:30 (UK time) and is my match of the day. Both players will significantly improve their world ranking if they are to reach the semis at this year's Rome Masters. Gonzalez will be hoping to improve on his 2009 clay court record 10-1 and reach his third semi final of the year, having reached the same round in Barcelona last week, and Vina Del Mar, which he won earlier this year. The Chilean definitely feels at home in Rome, he has a 15-5 record at this event, his last two losses have come against eventual champion Rafael Nadal in the 2006, 2007 quarter-finals, and he withdrew from his match against Nicolas Almagro in 2008 due to injury.

Monaco is appearing in his first Master Series quarter-final, his previous best result was a third round defeat two weeks ago in Monte Carlo. Qualifying into the main draw at this year's event has meant that today's match will be his sixth match in a row. Defeating Nicolas Kiefer, Andy Murray, and Marin Cilic has given the Argentinean clay court specialist the confidence to go further, however with a 0-5 head-to-head losing record against Gonzalez, four of which were on clay, reaching the semi finals in Rome could be a step too far.

I predict that the power Gonzalez possesses on his forehand side will be too much for the Argentinean to handle. Gonzalez likes to run around his backhand and dominate proceedings from that side. Monaco doesn't have a big shot in his armoury but what he does do, is get everything that is thrown at him back. His movement around the court is exceptional and is probably the fitter of the two. This match has the potential to go to three sets and I think it will be Fernando Gonzalez who will be the eventual winner in what could be the match of the tournament.

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