Minar was a good profit for me in the first round and was never troubled on serve by an erratic Feliciano Lopez who looks like he needs to get back to the drawing board. Ivo now faces another Spaniard but this one is an almighty ask in one of the clay kings and ATP warriors in David Ferrer. Due to the high standards he sets, I couldn't help but be slightly disappointed with the Spaniard's shock loss to an inspired Stepanek in Rome after losing out in both Barca final and Monte Carlo quarters to his good mate Rafa. Ferrer boasts an incredible 33-9 record on the dirt since the start of last year including 3 titles and will be eager to better his best result here of quarter finals in 3 of the past 4 years. Minar has some fiesty groundstrokes and looks to attack and persist with that strategy, but they are the sort of players who struggle with Ferrer due to his fantastic retrieving ability and an uncanny knack of turning gritty defense into attack by moving into the forecourt and punishing anything slightly mediocre. David has improved his serve but Minar will know that is his only chance to dominate Ferrer by getting the first strike it. The Czech improver has played well here this week by qualifying over the in-form Horna and ousting the higher-ranked Lopez, but anything but a Ferrer win here would definitely be out of left field. Look for a competitive match though. My pick is Ferrer in 3 sets.
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