Robin Soderling bypasses Potito Starace to advance to the semi-finals – SkiStar Swedish Open 2011
In perhaps the most anticipated match amongst the top eight at the 2011 SkiStar Swedish Open, home favourite top seed Robin Soderling easily managed to bulldoze his Italian opponent Potito Starace, seeded at eight in the tournament.
The world No.5 easily took out Starace in a two straight set 6-3, 6-4 victory delighting the Swedish crowd in the stands. Michael Ryderstedt’s loss earlier in the day to fourth seed Nicolas Almagro effectively means that Soderling is the only remaining Swedish
hope for the title.
Soderling has previously won the title in 2009 and was the runner up last year against Nicolas Almagro. However, today Soderling performed decisively against Starace, utilizing his strong serve to the maximum and showing extreme
precision and strength behind the baseline. Soderling’s win raises his record at Basted to 20 wins while the opponents’ head to head rankings stand at 2-1. He continues his journey to reclaim the title.
Opening serve in the first set Soderling easily managed a lead from the start and registered a devastating serve break only in the second game of the set. Starace barely managed a paltry 5 points in his first set and was unable
to win a single breakpoint. Soderling scored a massive 9 points on his 11 serves, winning 20 service points and 11 return points to blight his opponent 6-3 in the set.
Soderling did not even face a single breakpoint in the entire easily managed match.
Starace who had served well in the first set with a first serve percentage of 81% lost even that advantage in the second and ultimate set. Starace’s first serve percentage nosedived to 53% and he was only able 11 of the 18 serve
points, a mere 61%. He was unable to make any significant progress in the set and Starace who registered a breakpoint, in the game right after the score had levelled at 2-2, easily cleared the feeble obstruction posed by Starace. Soderling again gave away
only 5 points in 5 service games and accumulated 4 aces in the set. Despite serving at 50% in the entire match, Soderling easily sealed the set 6-4 forcing Starace out of the tournament.
The stage is now set for an exciting semi final between Soderling and third seed Tomas Berdych. The world No. 8, Berdych won his match against Slovenian Blaz Kavcic 6-1, 6-4 to make it through to the semis. Soderling and Berdych’s
head on head rankings stand at 6-3 in Soderling’s favor.
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