Tennis Update: Roger Federer defeats Soderling, will meet Rafael Nadal in first final of 2011
While many fans have dreamt of a meeting between the two top players of the world in the first final of the year, it seems as if players such as Andy Murray or Robin Soderling have always found a way to come between this vision. In 2011, however, neither
Tomas Berdych nor Soderling had what it takes to interrupt the UAE ‘dream final’ between Rafa and the Maestro.
Defending champion and top player Rafael Nadal will battle it out with World Number 2 Roger Federer at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships final on New Year’s Day. The match, held right after the two players made it out of their semi-finals at the Abu
Dhabi International Tennis Complex, will be one of the most thrilling finals of the year.
In the first edition of the event in 2008, Federer lost to eventual champion Murray. In 2009, he went down to finalist Robin Soderling. However, this year he rallied to defeat World Number 5 Soderling 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-3. Meanwhile Nadal, who lost to Murray
in the 2008 final, defeated Tomas Berdych in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to cruise to the finals.
In the first match between Soderling and Federer, the two players were neck and neck for a large portion of the match. Both players had chances to earn breaks within the first set, and Federer had his work cut out for him an attempt to stave off Soderling.
However, he earned the chance for a break in the second game, and whipped a cross court backhand winner to go to 30-40. However, a powerful serve from Berdych threw Federer off and his backhand went wild.
Federer collected two break points in the fourth game and hit another cross court winner. The Maestro also managed to go up 15-40 after Soderling’s forehand went wide; however, the Swede avoided this by firing off one of six aces he made in the first set.
Federer’s netted backhand only served to help Soderling further.
It seemed as if the match might be taken away by Soderling, as Federer double-faulted to send two backhands wide. This gave Soderling three break points; however, he seemed to lose his nerve, giving Federer an opportunity to make a comeback.
The set was touch and go, as Federer had another chance to break Soderling with a cross court backhand in the next game. However, Soderling persevered and earned a break point in the ninth game; he then served a wide forehand on Federer’s serve. The set
then went into a tiebreaker, and Soderling emerged successful after Federer made several errors.
While some felt this to be a great psychological plus for Soderling, Federer quickly proved him wrong by breaking in the second set. He also broke Soderling in the third game of this set as a consequence of Soderling’s multiple errors. As a parting shot,
Soderling netted a backhand to hand the set 6-3 to Federer.
At this point, Federer seemed unstoppable; he broke Soderling once again in the ninth to take the game, after Soderling’s game became fraught with errors. In the last set, Federer seemed to return to his famous ‘auto-pilot’ mode, something which Soderling
was no match for. He was broken in the eighth game, after netting a forehand and sending another wide. The Swiss Maestro then wrapped up the semi-final and secured his place in the title match with a well-executed ace.
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