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With only one of the top eight advancing to the quarterfinals in Madrid, the seeds didn’t fare well in the Spanish capital. The upsets, indeed, were akin to Dubai.

So what does Rome hold? More of the same?

Here’s a look at the draw, which is highlighted by the return of 21-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams.

First quarter: Williams’ tough road

In her first clay court tournament of 2016 — and her first tournament overall since Miami — the draw gods seemingly did Serena no favors.

Following a bye, the World No.1 begins with an ‘Anna,’ either Anna-Lena Friedsam or Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. While the ranking dictates Schmiedlova will progress, the Slovak is enduring a difficult campaign after a breakthrough 2015. If Friedsam progresses, she’ll be buoyed by grabbing a set off Williams at the French Open last year.

Then a slew of Grand Slam champs or finalists could come, with Ana Ivanovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Simona Halep all in the mix. It was, of course, twice Rome finalist Kuznetsova who stunned Williams at the Miami Open, the event the latter adores. (Victoria Azarenka and Roberta Vinci feature in Williams’ half, too.)

Daria Gavrilova truly announced herself to the tennis world in Rome 12 months ago, battling through tough matches to reach the semis as a qualifier. Struggling for a few months after flourishing at home in Melbourne, she regained some momentum in Madrid.

Halep — speaking of players recapturing momentum — and Gavrilova could clash in the second round.

Prediction: Kuznetsova

Second quarter: How is Vika feeling?

Azarenka entered Madrid with a long winning streak. She left Madrid with the streak intact. Unfortunately for Azarenka, a back injury ruled out the former No.1 ahead of her third-round tussle with rising American Louisa Chirico.

Just how is the back now? With the French Open around the corner and little time between Rome and Madrid, Azarenka could be forgiven for erring on the side of caution at the Foro Italico.

Her probable first-round foe is Irina-Camelia Begu, part of the Romanian contingent that thrived in Madrid. When they tangled a year ago in Rome, Begu extended the Belarusian to three sets. The third round might bring Karolina Pliskova, who was upset in Madrid by Christina McHale.

With their game styles — and personalities — Italians Francesca Schiavone and Roberta Vinci are firm fan favorites. But with Vinci suggesting this is her last year on the circuit and wildcard Schiavone turning 36 in June, is this the last appearance for both in Rome?

How Vinci, then, would dearly love to turn it around in Rome. She has suffered three straight defeats there and lost her opener in four of the past five seasons. Johanna Konta figures to be the seventh seed’s opponent in the second round.

And how the home fans would love to see Schiavone, who starts against Prague winner Lucie Safarova, and Vinci meet in the third round.

Prediction: Vinci

Third quarter: Last year’s finalist

Samantha Stosur certainly played well in her victory over Carla Suárez Navarro in Madrid, yet the Spaniard was hampered because of illness. If she has sufficiently recovered, Suarez Navarro is the favorite to emerge from her quarter.

Not only did Suárez Navarro appear in the final a year ago — when she was close to ousting Maria Sharapova in straight sets — but there were quarterfinal showings on her previous two trips to Rome.

She could, however, battle a player in form in the third round, in No.11 seed Timea Bacsinszky. Bacsinszky won a clay-court title in Morocco a week ago and proceeded to post two good wins in Madrid, over the former Top 10 duo of Ekaterina Makarova and Andrea Petkovic. Perhaps fatigue was a factor in her defeat to Halep, who the Swiss had toppled in Miami.

The two seeds lower down in the quarter, Elina Svitolina and Garbiñe Muguruza, are a combined 3-5 in their last eight encounters, which should raise the spirits of the unseeded in the vicinity, such as Makarova, Istanbul finalist Danka Kovinic and Kristina Mladenovic.

Prediction: Suárez Navarro

Fourth quarter: An early blockbuster?

As a two-time winner, three-time finalist and having advanced to the semifinals as recently as two years ago, Jelena Jankovic has enjoyed tremendous success in Rome. Perhaps Rome is where Jankovic’s season ignites following a shoulder injury and being diagnosed with a cyst on her thyroid gland.

Jankovic’s opener is interesting enough — against 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard. But if the Serb wins, she lands No.2 seed Angelique Kerber.

For the second year running, Kerber won in Stuttgart and exited in her first match in Madrid. This time it came against Barbora Strycova.

Who could Kerber potentially play in the third round? None other than the versatile Czech. Or it could be Sara Errani, who delighted the locals by landing in the final in 2014.

At the top of the quarter, Petra Kvitova — who downed Jankovic in Rome last year — draws either Madison Keys or Petkovic in the second round. Tough.

And Serena isn’t the lone member of the family to be making a return to action.

Venus is back and plays her fellow American with the big serve, CoCo Vandeweghe.

Prediction: Kerber

Semifinals: Kuznetsova, Kerber

Winner: Kerber

WTA Insider Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen checks in from the Foro Italico in Rome where the Internazionali BNL d’Italia is already underway. She recaps the the weekend in Madrid, where Simona Halep capped off a big week for Romanian tennis by winning her first title of the season. Hear from Halep as she discusses her surprising week and how it all came together in the Champion’s Corner.

You’ll also hear from 30-year-old Czech veteran Barbora Strycova. The World No.38 joins the podcast to discuss her career, which was nearly ended by a failed drug test in 2012. After serving a six-moth ban for negligently ingesting a banned substance, Strycova came one match away from ending her career. It’s a good thing she didn’t.

Strycova candidly opens up about her ban — the lowest moment of her career — as well as her redemptive run to the 2014 Wimbledon quarterfinals. Self-aware, honest, and funny, it’s a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Halep on being reluctant to handicap her chances at the start of the week: It’s amazing that I could win this tournament. I feel that I had everything in my hands, every match. I felt that I played my best tennis in every match and kind of deserving the title because I won it. I didn’t receive presents during the matches. Day by day I believed more that I had a chance to win it.

At the beginning of the tournament it’s normal to feel that you hesitate a little bit because it’s just the start and you don’t know actually what’s going to happen in the first round because the first round is always the toughest in the tournament. And after my months before coming here, it was tough to believe I could win it.

Halep on the rise of her fellow Romanians: I didn’t read anything since a long time ago and I’m not going to start to read again. I heard a tough story about my joke about “the Easter present” about the second set [bagel against Irina-Camelia Begu]. They make everything negative so I’m not going to read.

But in my opinion it’s a big thing that many Romanians are playing in the last matches here in this tournament – also men’s doubles – so it’s a good point point for our country and maybe it will help our juniors.

Strycova on picking tennis over figure skating: At age 12, I had to decide if I wanted to stick with figure skating, because I was pretty good at it, or tennis. I chose tennis because it was my choice, and nobody was pushing it. I was last on the ice a year ago; I can do some small jumps but you have to be careful because you can fall down and break a leg! I love that sport, and I still like to listen to my favorite music and be on the ice, doing what I used to do when I was young. It’s really relaxing.

Strycova on whether her on-court intensity dates back to her childhood: Oh my god, so much! You would see such a crazy Bara, you would not believel I am so emotional. I’m intense. I love to win and hate to lose. Back then, I was crabby. On one side, I was very positive, but also very negative. I’d throw racquets, screaming, crying. My whole career, I’ve been fighting to be positive and calmer. But I need that sometimes, I just need to know how to deal with it, and make sure it’s not hurting you.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on any podcast app of your choice and reviews are always helpful, so if you like what you’ve heard so far, leave us one. Get new episode alerts by following us on Twitter @WTA_Insider.

Garbiñe Muguruza’s best results have come on hardcourts. She won the China Open last fall and proceeded to storm her way into the semifinals of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global a few weeks later. But before all that hardcourt success, Paris is where she made her name.

The 22-year-old Spaniard earned her breakout win at the French Open in 2014, when she blasted past Serena Williams in a 6-2, 6-2 romp that lead to her first major quarterfinal. And to dispel any notion that the run was a fluke, she followed it up last year with yet another run to the quarterfinals, beating Angelique Kerber and Flavia Pennetta en route.

While guile, athleticism, and craft governed the terre battue in years past, today’s game requires power. Muguruza has that in spades. Though her 2016 season has yet to live up to the promise of how she finished 2015, Muguruza has played far better than her results would indicate. She’s been on the losing end of two of the best sets of tennis played this year, tallying a tough straight set loss to Victoria Azarenka at the Miami Open and then, in to Madison Keys last week in the semifinals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

That semifinal was her first of the season and her run up to that match was a dominant one. She lost just six games on her way to the quarterfinals, where she dispatched an in-form Timea Bacsinszky in straight sets.

Bonjour à tous ?? ??? pic.twitter.com/wcyvAK7RQU

— Garbiñe Muguruza (@GarbiMuguruza) May 18, 2016

“It was a great week for me,” Muguruza said in Rome. “I would like, for sure, to be in the final and win, but I felt really good playing these matches here, so it’s perfect for French Open.”

Throughout this season, Muguruza has played like a woman who felt the pressure of expectations. After finishing 2015 at No.3, many expected Muguruza to come flying out of the gates on hard courts. But under the bright spotlight she struggled, partly due to injury. It all seemed to come to a head a few weeks ago at the Mutua Madrid Open. The focus of local attention from the start, Muguruza took a tough loss to a streaking Irina-Camelia Begu in the second round.

A week later in Rome, she seemed far more relaxed. She played freely and with a clear sense of purpose. It was as if the pressure of the season dissipated after Madrid and she could just get back to work. If she plays the same way in Paris a deep second week run should be in the cards.

Muguruza will be seeded fourth in Paris, meaning she will avoid a quarterfinal showdown with Serena. Her game is perfectly suited for the clay in Paris, with enough power to finish points and hold serve, with enough court craft to work herself out of defensive positions. Under coach Sam Sumyk, Muguruza has been quick to try and finish points at the net. It’s yet another important development to her game and again, one that will pay dividends in Paris.

Entreno matinal en el Club de Campo antes de poner rumbo a Roma. Last practice before heading to Rome. pic.twitter.com/2HkjUjJas0

— Garbiñe Muguruza (@GarbiMuguruza) May 6, 2016

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