A Perfect Day*

So, how's about that Marat Safin? What a great win for him. But dude, on behalf of tennis fans everywhere, please, PLEASE keep it going! Not just here at Wimbledon, but the rest of the year, and if it isn't too much to ask, the rest of your career!

I'm looking at that section of the draw, and it looks like a truck hit it. Who's going to come through? I would say based on just pure talent, it would be Safin. However, the best grasser (Is that phrase that I coined catching on? If not, let me know and I'll stop!) in that quarter would be Marcos Baghdatis. Getting by Thomas Johansson in straights on grass isn't anything to sneeze at. He really has a good shot at making the semis. He and Safin facing off in the quarters could be a good one.

Things almost got pretty bad there for Serbia today, with Ana Ivanovic just scraping by. I have to tell you, the more I see her play, the more I like her. There's just so much fight in her; she always seems to be in battle mode, while having fun doing it. Plus, having a little netcord action go your way every now and then always helps!

Tomorrow's got some more great matches on tap. I don't really see too many upsets happening, but there will definitely be some good ones, like these, for instance:

• Rafael Nadal (2) vs. Ernests Gulbis: Is Gulbis for real? Is Rafa? Just kidding about Nadal, of course he is! But every young player that you know is going to be a top-tenner eventually, such as Gulbis, loves to go out there and battle. I like Nadal in three, but it should be entertaining, nonetheless.

• Xavier Malisse vs. Andy Murray (12): Malisse's biggest career result has been making the semis at Wimbledon in 2002, a looonng time ago! Injuries have been his downfall, which is sad because the way he started off last year, it looked like he was finally gonna make a serious move toward the top 10. Murray did well to drop Santoro in straights the other day, and I expect him to do the same here. There'll be some great shot-making in this one.

• Andy Roddick (6) vs. Janko Tipsarevic: This one here is a biggie: While he has yet to make a big push to match his ability, everyone, including A-Rod, knows Tipsarevic is a baller. Roddick can't afford to let up at all in this one. If he does, it could be a wrap. I'm picking Roddick to get through in four.

• Richard Gasquet (8) vs. Sebastian Grosjean: These former semifinalists and countrymen will put on a show of French flair for any and all to see when they square off. Expect crazy winners to come off their racquets. I'm going with Gasquet in this one, but he's gonna have to watch it. I'm sure Grosjean knows his game as well as anyone's.

And here's one upset match I'm picking:
Tamarine Tanasugarn vs. Vera Zvonareva (13): Tanasugarn really threw me for a loop winning last weekend. It's always good to see the veterans get it done! She's had a great Wimbledon career and I think she takes out Zvonareva, one of the most consistent players on tour this year, in three tight ones.

* The headline, "A perfect day" refers to all the upset matches I flagged yesterday. I got every one of them wrong! So, in other words, I was perfect. How many times can someone say that? (I'm definitely a glass-half-full kinda guy!)

(Photo: Getty Images)