Live French Open - Soderling v Nadal (UK only)
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By Caroline Cheese
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Nadal 4-2* Soderling
Easy for Nadal, Rob-Sod just making too many errors at the moment and Nadal hardly making any.
Easy for Nadal, Rob-Sod just making too many errors at the moment and Nadal hardly making any.
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Sounds idyllic
Nadal *3-2 Soderling
Wild forehand gets Soderling off to a bad start. At 15-30, Nadal stops the point to indicate Soderling's serve is out - but the umpire reckons it's in. An annoyed Nadal scuffs at the mark, before holding his hand up in apology at Soderling. Great length from Nadal on the next point - Soders just isn't that dangerous from behind the baseline - and he draws the error. Break point but Soderling now gets a mid-court ball and slaps a wonderfully-timed backhand crosscourt. Nadal on to the front foot to earn another break point. Soderling up the net to put away a volley - but decides to leave a floating backhand, which dips onto the baseline. Advantage Nadal.
Wild forehand gets Soderling off to a bad start. At 15-30, Nadal stops the point to indicate Soderling's serve is out - but the umpire reckons it's in. An annoyed Nadal scuffs at the mark, before holding his hand up in apology at Soderling. Great length from Nadal on the next point - Soders just isn't that dangerous from behind the baseline - and he draws the error. Break point but Soderling now gets a mid-court ball and slaps a wonderfully-timed backhand crosscourt. Nadal on to the front foot to earn another break point. Soderling up the net to put away a volley - but decides to leave a floating backhand, which dips onto the baseline. Advantage Nadal.
Nadal 2-2* Soderling
If Nadal has learned anything from last year, it should be: don't hit anything short. But Nadal twice goes too far the other way in this game, hooking a couple of loopy shots over the baseline to give Soderling a break point. Soderling gets his return deep and steps in for the short reply - but belts a backhand long. Opportunity missed. Superb baseline scrapping from Nadal gets him to game point before Soderling swings a forehand into the trams.
If Nadal has learned anything from last year, it should be: don't hit anything short. But Nadal twice goes too far the other way in this game, hooking a couple of loopy shots over the baseline to give Soderling a break point. Soderling gets his return deep and steps in for the short reply - but belts a backhand long. Opportunity missed. Superb baseline scrapping from Nadal gets him to game point before Soderling swings a forehand into the trams.
Infostrada Sports on Twitter:
"Rafael Nadal finals on clay: 30 played, 28 wins. Two defeats in Hamburg 2007 and Madrid 2009 vs Federer."
Nadal *1-2 Soderling
Great start by both men, Soderling hammering another ace down the middle and marching confidently back to the chair after a love game.
Great start by both men, Soderling hammering another ace down the middle and marching confidently back to the chair after a love game.
Nadal 1-1* Soderling
Nadal giving it the "come on" already as he wins a gruelling rally to open the game. Classic Nadal: on the back foot for most of it before a devastating backhand turns it around. Nadal knocks in an ace - only his 13th of the tournament - to hold to 15.
Nadal giving it the "come on" already as he wins a gruelling rally to open the game. Classic Nadal: on the back foot for most of it before a devastating backhand turns it around. Nadal knocks in an ace - only his 13th of the tournament - to hold to 15.
Nadal *0-1 Soderling
Bit of a shaky start by Rob-Sod, dropping the first point and then hooking a forehand very long to allow Nadal to get back to 30-30 but a beefy serve gets him to game point, before he lashes down a first ace.
* denotes next to serve
Bit of a shaky start by Rob-Sod, dropping the first point and then hooking a forehand very long to allow Nadal to get back to 30-30 but a beefy serve gets him to game point, before he lashes down a first ace.
* denotes next to serve
1414: We're off. Tim Henman, like so many others, tips Nadal to win. Soderling will serve first.
1413: Wonder if Roger Federer's watching. Probably not, he'll be busy planning this year's outrageous Wimbledon outfit. His world number one ranking is on the line today. Rafa will take it if he wins - and with no points to defend over the next few months, he probably won't let it go anytime soon.
From James, Loughborough, via text: "Re 1345: It's also the Swedish National Day today!"
Former pro Justin Gimelstob on Twitter:
"I am SO excited for NADAL/SODERLING, it has everything in it, different styles/personalities, a proven champion and an aspiring one."
BBC Sport's Piers Newbery tweeting from Roland Garros:
"Breaking news... Beyonce and Jay-Z are here for the final!"
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1403: Here they come... Soderling first to share his thoughts: "It's going to be really nice, I always enjoy playing here, I will enjoy every second of it." Nadal's interview is in Spanish, but I'm guessing he's going to give 100% and see what happens. Huge roar greets both players. Anticipation high ahead of this final. Only Federer-Nadal might have topped it.
1400: Perceived wisdom is that damp, cloudy conditions favour Soderling. He was brilliant against Federer in the wet, and patchy against Tomas Berdych in the sun. Nadal's best match so far was against Jurgen Melzer in the semis in hot, dry conditions. It's currently dry and a bit sunny, but the forecast ain't so good.
From caxi19 on 606:
"Nadal's physical condition went against him last year and now we are made to believe the weather conditions might prevent him today. Erm, hello, he won Wimbledon on a foreign surface against the greatest grass court player of all time... only Rafa's body can stop him."
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1359: UK friends, if you'd like to give this page a little manual refresh, you should be able to see all kinds of video/audio wizardry.
1356: They're chucking plenty of water on the Chatrier court, so hopefully that means they're not expecting a downpour any time soon. All kinds of intrigue surrounding today's match-up, and not just about the weather. Soderling famously beat Nadal last year, but there were huge questions marks over the Spaniard's fitness and he then missed several months with serious knee bother. Rob-Sod also beat Nadal at the World Tour Finals in London, but again the world number two was below his best. However, in cementing his place in the world's top 10 and beating Roger Federer this year, you can't argue that Soderling hasn't backed up last year's stunning run to the final. Hopefully today, we'll see them both at their best...
BBC Sport's Piers Newbery tweeting from Roland Garros:
"The good news is it's warm, dry and - like me - trying to be bright as Le Coldstream Guards do their thing on Chatrier. For me, Rafa in four."
1349: Weather news: dodgy. It's not raining at the moment but storms are predicted, which could play havoc with the magnificent locks of the aforementioned Borg (if he turns up today... he might have alternative birthday plans). Speaking after Rob-Sod's win over Roger Federer, the 54-year-old declared: "Robin constantly reaches new levels and now dare I say it, Robin will become the world number one and that will happen faster than we think. There is probably no one tennis player in the world with more confidence right now."
1345: And it's bonjour to you for the final time at Roland Garros in 2010. What a way to go out though. Coming up (weather permitting): Robin Soderling v Rafael Nadal. Rafa could become only the second man to win five French Open titles. Soderling is the only player to have beaten Nadal at Roland Garros. Soderling is Swedish, like Bjorn Borg, and the only other man to have won five or more French Opens is Bjorn Borg. And guess what? It's Bjorn Borg's birthday! What does it all mean?
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