Li Na exorcised her demons against Stosur by claiming her first career win over the Australian. With Stosur out of her way, Li's passage is much easier now. She faces Errani, who will be fiercely supported by the home crowd. A lot is on Errani's shoulders, being the last Italian in the draw. However, Sara's form hasn't been magnificient lately, so I don't expect Li to experience much trouble.
Pick: Li in 2 sets
Serena Williams vs. Zhang Shuai
Let's be honest. The only reason Zhang Shuai is here in the quarters is due to the horrific collapse of Kvitova. The Czech seemed to have forgotten to play tennis and paid a heavy price for her early exit. On clay, Zhang has no chance against Serena. Unless something catastrophic happens to the American, Seren'a going to breeze through this.
Pick: Williams in 2 easy sets
Carla Suarez Navarro vs. Ana Ivanovic
Another player who got over her demons is Ana Ivanovic. The Serbian beat Sharapova for the first time in 7 years, and in the process, snapping the Russian's 12 match winning streak. This marks the resurgence of Ana, who is looking to repeat her 2008 form where she captured the title in Paris. Ana is a confidence player, so with her confidence now sky high, Carla is in trouble. I'm not saying that the Spaniard doesn't have a chance, but Ana's game is tough to handle when she's blasting balls all over the court.
Pick: Ivanovic in 2 sets
Jelena Jankovic vs. Agnieszka Radwanska
Jankovic is quietly making her way through the draw. She has the potential to be the dark horse, having won here before. The Serbian obviously enjoys the clay in Rome, but she will be tested by Radwanska, who is playing the best clay court tennis of her career. On clay, I believe Jankovic has the edge. Radwanska will need to play very smart tennis to disrupt Jankovic's rhythm. If Jelena gets on a roll, it's difficult to stop her.
Pick: Jankovic in 3 sets
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