Venus Williams versus Timea Bacsinszky

The business-end of Roland Garros has arrived, and with each passing round, experienced veteran Venus Williams is looking like a stronger contender for the title.  Even so, neither she nor the fans should already be penciling her in for the quarterfinals.  She faces wily Swiss woman Timea Bacsinszky, and it was the Swiss who proved Williams's undoing at this stage of the tournament last year.  Bacsinszky has recently fluctuated in the rankings due to minor injuries, but she is presently ranked just outside of the Top 30. 

She has a nice, all-around game, and with her ability to throw in some nifty slice and change of pace from either side with equal ease, she could upset the American's rhythm.  Her win over Williams at this venue last season combined with the fact that she is also a former semifinalist here should provide her with ample belief that she can achieve an upset.  Even so, Williams is enviably in a better position to control the outcome.  She hits bigger and gets more mileage out of her first serve.  Her quick wheels allow her to track down numerous balls, and her lanky wingspan makes it very difficult to pass her in the forecourt.  So, while the Swiss certainly has the skills to garner the upset, if Williams brings her A-game, she is going to find herself in the last eight.

Rafael Nadal versus Roberto Bautista Agut

Rafael Nadal needs no introduction.  He has been an established star of the game for quite some time, and his exploits at Roland Garros have been particularly legendary.  Amazingly, he is seeking his tenth title in the French capital, and few are betting against him to manage the feat.  He still must take things one step at a time, however, and he knows that Roberto Bautista Agut possibly represents his first real test.  Bautista Agut has been around for a while and has come into his own the last couple of seasons.  His preference to stay closer to the baseline and play with aggression by utilizing flat, penetrating groundstrokes, makes his game better-suited to the quicker courts, but those skills could also help him gain some headway in the rallies with Nadal. 

Furthermore, he has played some memorable matches against many top stars of the ATP, so he is unlikely to be awed at the prospect of playing Nadal on this occasion.  Of course, even as the Spaniard has these factors working in his favor, he is still going to need help from his countryman if he is to pull off the monumental upset.  Nadal is quicker about the court, and the clay only enhances his tremendous topspin and defensive skills.  In addition to that, the moment he gets control of the rally, he is one of the best at bullying his opponents, especially on this surface.  And lastly, Nadal has a huge mental edge.  He has won here so often, while Bautista Agut, although he has been to the fourth round on numerous occasions, has never made it the quarterfinals of any major.  Hard to envision Bautista Agut finally breaking through to his first quarterfinal at Nadal's expense come Sunday.

Garbiñe Muguruza versus Kristina Mladenovic

Fans of power tennis should enjoy this women's fourth-round clash which pits Garbiñe Muguruza against Kristina Mladenovic.  They are two of the hardest hitters on tour and each is apt to come out guns blazing as they duke it out for a spot in the quarterfinals.  The Frenchwoman hits flatter, and if she is at her best, that should pay dividends.  If she is off, then the Spaniard's own powerful ground strokes, which she strikes with a little more margin, could win the day.  When it comes to their respective games, however, the real difference-maker could be the variety from the Frenchwoman.  She has some nice feel from the baseline and as a top-ranked doubles player, exceptional skills in the forecourt.  That could be all that is needed to take the Spaniard out of her rhythm and earn her the edge. 

The trick will be whether she has a chance to exhibit those skills or if the fourth seed will keep Mladenovic pinned back at the baseline.  But the bigger key to this match is how each combatant mentally copes with the situation.  Muguruza has struggled with living up to expectations following her victory here last season.  That said, she is a former major champion and Wimbledon Finalist, who may be starting to tap into her best at just the opportune time.  With that experience and her fond memories here from a year ago, she may like her chances of defending her crown.  On the flip-side, Mladenovic has enjoyed the better season, and she can use her experience from winning the doubles title here last year and apply it to her singles play.  She will also have the home crowd support to draw on, though there is a fine line between using support from the crowd and faltering under the weight of its expectations.  All told, this is a 50-50 match with either woman very deserving of a quarterfinal berth.