Robin Soderling of Sweden gives a thumbs-up as he celebrates defeating Roger Federer at the French Open.
Posted on 06/01/2010 1:06:16 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Robin Soderling has played second fiddle to Roger Federer 12 times in his career. Not today. On the grand, soaked stage of Court Philippe Chatrier, the Swede stepped out of the orchestra pit and beat him up in what was without question the most enthralling contest of this French Open so far.
It took the fifth seed 150 minutes – and a 75-minute rain break – to crack Federer's will, and the scoreline of 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 tells the story of a very good fight indeed.
Last year Federer blew Soderling away in three sets to win the title. It was humiliating and some reckoned inevitable – even though the Swede had already put Rafael Nadal out in the quarter-finals.
This time – his time – Soderling gave the Swiss all the fight he could handle and more, crashing 14 ballboy-threatening aces and muscling ground strokes rocket-like down both wings to keep Federer pinned behind the baseline, at times powerless to change the course of the match.
It was raw, sometimes frightening tennis, played out against a backdrop of grey skies and jangling nerves. "I played better and better every match," Soderling said, "and today I played really well. Everybody who is still in the draw [is capable] of going all the way. I have a really tough semi-final to come."
Soderling plays Andy Murray's conqueror, the impressive Czech Tomas Berdych, who made short work of the Russian Mikhail Youzhny, dropping only six games in three sets. It will be fascinating to see if Berdych, seeded 15, can do to Soderling what the No1 player in the world could not do.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
It was widely said in this perhaps sweeping assumption that Federer won it last year only because Nadal went out in the quarter-finals to Soderling. If he beat Nadal for a title the Spaniard has won four times, surely he would be the game's governor. All of which dismissed Soderling as a bit player, a comma in a grand statement. Today, he showed up the foolishness of such a view.
FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!! here’s hoping Stosur will do the same to Serena!!!
Go Rafa!
Federer is far from finished. Clay is his worst surface. Grass his best.
Nothing lasts forever.
Frightening tennis = new outfits in the ladies' court
23 grand slam semifinals in a row is a fantastic record.
#2 is Ivan Lendl with 10 grand slam semifinals in a row.
Federer’s streak is now over, but it will be at least as hard to break as Joe Dimaggio’s 56 game hitting streak in baseball.
“He’ll be 29 this August. Is this the age when they start to slow down ?”
Agassi won his last grand slam title at age 32, Sampras at 31. Rod Laver was the top professional until about age 32, after winning the single year grand slam at age 30-31.
Ken Rosewall won his last grand slam championship at age 37.
So best guess is that Federer may be beginning the twilight of his tennis career, but there are more championships to come.
Federer is far from finished. Clay is his worst surface. Grass his best.
This is correct.....clay is not Federer’s best surface....and the great tennis champions always had one surface or Grand Slam tournament that they were not super-proficient in.
Federer is not done yet. He is still the best. Eventually he will get old and become more beatable....it just is not there yet
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