I think the odds-dropping on the Italian is justified here, as Di Mauro this season has proved to be a real threat on the slow paced red clay. He's gathered wins over guys like Llodra, Stepanek, Wawrinka, Pashanski, Coria, and in the past years a few more respectable results have come, beating Acasuso, Almagro, Lapentti, Murray, Ferrer etcetera. Fact is, that he has progressed a lot this season in terms of results and confidence, and be sure he'll be up for the task vs the Britton. About Henman, he came unstuck in bad fashion vs Gaudio in Monte Carlo, where he looked like he'd never hit a ball before on clay. I believe in him less and less, and I think it's the ideal time to back against him. Hasn't hit a ball since Monte Carlo, while Di Mauro has been busy on the Challenger circuit, preparing him for this home showing. Could be tight, but I fancy Alessio to advance.

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I never kinda liked ToJo playing on the red dirt, but, since he's been out for 2 months with an occulary injury, and only has been back to full training in very short notice, I think backing Fognini is a wise idea here. The only thing that "bothers" me a bit here is the fact that Fognini is only 18 years old, and I've never seen him play. BUT his results, mostly this year, proof he's got what it takes to take on bigger guns on the circuit. In his young careerhe's already beaten the likes of Dlouhy, Marin, Patience, Portas, etcetera, and a few days back I was in fact very surprised he beat Djokovic here in 3 sets. If he's able to beat the SCG youngster, he's able to defeat ToJo too, certainly in the given circumstances.

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Harkleroad has an bad record on clay throughout the years, and it doesn't seem to get any better on the slower paced surface. She already received a 06 26 romp from Castano this year in Charleston, that probably didn't do her good. It's been like 1.5 years now, since she last joined a real WTA claycourt tournament, bot a challenger one, that says about enough about her aspirations on red dirt. K-lina on the other hand possesses a great 65-31 record on clay since 1996, and indeed her style suits slow paced tennis the best. She's been of the frontstage for a while now, but seems to get better and better the last weeks, and already made the quarters in Charleston back in March. She's entered a field in Prague with less respected players, and this could be the tournament which gifts her the confidence back she needs so bad.

No way out for the Scotsman here, Pippo Volandri will surely have too much for him tomorrow afternoon. This is ofcourse one of the most important appointments of the year for Pippo, except Rolland Garros, and be sure for him to be on top of his game. He's been a bit unlucky with the draws the past years, facing Gaudio last year in the 2nd, Nalbandian in the quarters two years ago, Federer in the quarters in 93 ... this time around he'll fancy playing Nadal in the 2nd, just to measure himself on home soil, and the tomorrow's fixture shouldn't pose too many problems. Murray's serving abilities have gone downhill lately, and Volandri will look to be profiting upon this. Murray is still a good player, but a little overrated in the beginning, and it's beginning to get clear the overreaction was there, and it's time to get down to earth for the Britton.

All this fuzz about Rochus being stuck with some sort of virrus which would keep him from playing decent tennis, it's all made up. True, he's a got a little infection of the respiratory ways going, but nothing that would keep him from playing his best tennis, it's in fact more "just bothering" him than it hinders his game. We all know what show "Oli" Rochus performed last week in Munich, only giving away one set to Melzer en route to a great tournament victory, easily defeating his in-form compatriot Vliegen. Baghdatis has got the least experience on claycourt, and didn't play for a while due to an injury lay-off. Juicy odds on an in-form player vs a player who's coming back from injury, and doesn't like the red dirt.

Think this one is a nice punt, as Bolelli and Seppi already did great in Monte Carlo, reaching the quarters, and now they're playing at home, so they'll be up for this one. Knowle/Prieto don't often play together, they're normally a part of other couples. Knowle already lost with Friedl in Monte Carlo, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the Italians beat the Austrian/Argentine pairing as underdogs.