Warning: mysqli_query(): (HY000/1030): Got error 28 from storage engine in /home/sportsun/public_html/wp-includes/wp-db.php on line 1942

Soderling did what almost everybody thought impossible except for Rafael Nadal, he beat Roger Federer in a grand slam. And he did it in a way that should have put chills up any tennis players back, winning 3-6 6-3 7-5 6-4 in a close to flawless display of power tennis.

It is time to start taking Soderling’s bid for the French Open title seriously. Frankly, Nadal isn’t looking as ruthless in form as he did earlier in the season, and that must be partly because of tiredness. Everybody knows Nadal plays and extremely physical game and a warm-up couple of weeks where you win every single match, and thereby play a hell of a lot of them, must put some strain on those fragile knees.

But first Soderling needs to get through Tomas Berdych, with the Czech looking better than ever and yet having to lose a set. It will be tight match for sure, with a lot of nerves being involved because both players now have something to lose, suddenly they are in a position where a grand slam final (2^nd one for Soderling) wouldn’t be at all that improbable.

I still believe Soderling will win, although Berdych won their most recent encounter. He seems to be mastering the French clay and a win against the player he respects the most, Federer, must surely give him even more confidence.

So what is the headline about? Well, Swedish legend Bjorn Borg went out in the Swedish media and predicted Soderling to be ranked nr 1 in the World and quite soon. That might be a desperate attempt to get some media attention, but still, looking at Soderling’s game now, you can understand how people get euphoric.