Robin Soderling hopes to make a comeback before the end of 2012 – Tennis News
Former world number four, Robin Soderling, has announced that he is withdrawing from this year’s French Open, Wimbledon Championships and London Olympics.
However, the Swedish star is hoping that he can make a return before the end of this season. The 27-year-old is still recovering from the glandular fever he was diagnosed last year. The right-hander made a big mistake by continuing
to play despite suffering from this disease, debilitating his condition.
Soderling has not participated in any level of tennis since winning his home event of SkiStar Swedish Open in July of 2011. Despite having the illness, the Swede had badly crushed two of the top 10 players in that event. He had
defeated the then world number eight, Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic, in straight sets 6-1, 6-0 in the semi-finals. In the title match, the Swede trashed Spain’s David Ferrer, ranked sixth at that time, also in twin sets 6-2, 6-2. Soderling dropped merely
13 games in the whole tournament.
It’s a blow to the tennis fans that the 2010 and 2011 French Open finalist is not taking part in his favourite tournament in this year. Soderling is the only player to have beaten the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, at the Roland Garros
in the last seven years. He stunned the Spaniard in four sets 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(2) in the fourth round of the 2009 event.
In 2010, Soderling proved that his previous year’s performance was not a fluke, as he surprised the defending champion, Roger Federer, in four sets 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in the quarter-finals. However, he failed to capture the title
on both occasions.
The Swede could not complete the hat trick of reaching the title match at the French Open, as he lost to Nadal in straight sets 4-6, 1-6, 6-7(3) in the last-eight round.
Soderling shared, while announcing his withdrawal, "I'm 28 and have plenty of good years left in me. I haven't given up on the year. Hopefully I can come back a little, at an OK level. It's difficult to say because this is not
really like a regular injury. Even the doctors have trouble telling me when I can be back. The most important thing is I'm feeling better and better.
He added, "Now I am where I feel pretty good during the days and I can do everything, but training - and especially a little bit more intense training - my body cannot take, I get too tired.”
It is hoped that Soderling will soon regain his full fitness and hit back at the tennis courts.
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