Lightning strikes twice as Soderling stuns Nadal

Robin Soderling

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Robin Soderling posted the first real shock of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals with a surprise 6-4 6-4 victory over world No.2 Rafael Nadal, proving his Roland Garros victory over the Spaniard was no fluke.

Anyone that cited Rafa’s injures and personal problems as the primary reason for his four-set loss to the Swede in Paris back in May will certainly be having a re-think after a purposeful performance from Soderling, who peppered Nadal with crushing ground strokes and customary big serves throughout.

Allied to this, the Swede was clinical during the crucial points of the match. “I managed to play really well in the important points, which is something you have to do if you want to beat the top guys” he said. “I played a lot of big matches this yer, and I played well.”

About his ice-cool nerve once more against the Spaniard, he added: “I played a lot of big matches this year, and I played well. I beat a lot of good players. So I’m sure I improved that part of my game.”

“There’s a long way to go but I’ve got off to a great start – winning against the world No.2 is not bad”

Far from getting carried away, Soderling now turns his attentions to the winner of the evening session match between Novak Djokovic and Nikolay Davydenko, but not before basking in the glow of another huge victory in the ATP’s showpiece tournament – one he is fortunate to be a part of.

Having already made the most of Andy Roddick’s withdrawal, Soderling is just happy to playing in such a prestigious event. “I’ve got to take one game at a time and hopefully come Sunday I will be pleased with how I’ve done,” said the Swede.

“I had some problems in the past with injuries but this year has been by far the best year – I’ve been far more consistent, he added. “This is the best tournament I’ve ever played and with so many people watching I’m just so pleased.”

A man who will not be so content with his opening day performance is Soderling’s opponent, Rafael Nadal. After losing an early break with a series of short balls to the Soderling forehand and an early double fault, Nadal found himself staring at a 3-0 deficit with just eight minutes on the clock.

But unlike Federer, who laboured until bought to the brink of defeat in his opening Group A tie with Fernando Verdasco, the Mallorcan recovered quickly, serving his way out of trouble to break back instantly and bring the scores level at 3-3.

But Nadal, looking slimmer since his return from injury, was unable to compete with Soderling’s powerful groundstrokes and found himself on the back foot again when serving to stay in the set at 4-5. The Swede, far from wasteful, forced Nadal into the corner with a brutish backhand, before clinching the set as Nadal’s scrambling return sailed over the baseline.

Once more the Spaniard responded. Breaking first in the second set, Nadal looked likely to force the tie into a deciding third set before Soderling rewrote the script, breaking straight back with the help of HawkEye at 30-40. Still unfazed on the crucial plays, Soderling saved another two break points – one with an 132mph ace – and emerged unscathed from a titanic game involving seven deuces.

Then, with the match heading towards a deciding set, Soderling piled pressure on Nadal at 4-5. A backhand error put the Swede just a point from victory on Rafa’s serve, but when Soderling cracked first in another lengthy baseline exchange, Nadal clenched his fist as the scores returned to deuce.

Where most players would be left ruing the missed opportunity, Soderling wasted no time creating another, striking a blissful backhand winner past Nadal to engineer a second match point. The world No.9 made sure of victory at this second time of asking, leaping into the air when a Nadal backhand buried itself in the foot of the net.

“In the important moments, I didn’t have the necessary calm,” said Nadal afterwards, in stark contrast to the victor. “I played shorter in the important moments – that reason he beat me.”

“I said 100 times, I don’t believe in revenges,” he added when asked about his previous defeat to the Swede. “I went on this court, try my best what I did all my life – I didn’t thought, no one second, on the Roland Garros match.”

The result puts Roger Federer one win away from securing the season-ending world No.1 spot, but Nadal admits he conceded that race long ago.

“I think the chances I have are not here, not to be world No.1. If you want to still talk about me being No.1 you can, but I think is not the right moment,” he said with a smile.

“My level right now is not to be No.1 – my level is to be still fighting, and practicing hard to be ready as soon as possible to compete another time with equal conditions with everybody,” he added. “Going on court, with the full confidence in myself against everybody – that’s what i’m working.”

Earlier, the Bryan brothers were also beaten 6-4 6-4 by Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram in their opening doubles match. The Americans were in line to make up crucial ground on No.1 duo Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic, who also lost their opening match on Sunday.