Soderling’s tactics paid off

PATRICIA — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:41:26 GMT

I knew Rafa would lose at RG sooner or later. I just hate so bad that he lost to the very one he would have rather died than lose to. The weirdest a-hole jerk on the circuit. The one with the least amount of class of anybody.Even J.M. said NOBODY likes him in the locker room and the idiot likes it that way. Just breaks my heart for Rafa.

Soderling’s tactics paid off

Brian Watt, Exton Pa — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:09:40 GMT

Ted

I think you hit the nail on the head, the pure aggression of Soderling, (and was quite similar to Djokovic's tactics the last 2 times he played Nadal), is the only way to play Nadal. But more specifically, players are now exposing Rafa's forehand, of all things.

Rafa cheats to his right, so he has that extra split second, to step around his backhand, and hit those devatasting inside out forehands. But Nadal's forehand when moving TO his left, while good, is not nearly the weapon his forehand is, when he is moving to his right, and stepping around his backhand to rip those forehands.

Djokovic, Federer (both in Madrid) and now Soderling, have exposed the Nadal forehand, when he is forced to repeatedly move to his left. Federer has a similar weakness, he is just a step slow, when moving to his right, for normal forehands, but hits devastating forehands, when moving to his left, to step around his backhand, and go inside out on the forehand.

For some reason, all these years, opponents have been trying to "find Nadal's backhand", but when doing that, Nadal uses incredible footwork, to eventually step around his backhand, and rip the forehands...but the better play, is to go right at Rafa's forehand.

Soderling’s tactics paid off

Brian Watt — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:57:37 GMT

If Soderling makes the final, and if Roger is fortunate enough to make the finals, Soderling will be dismantled. Roger's record against all remaining possible opponents is: 34 wins, 1 loss. Vs Soderling he is 9-0, Monfils, 4-0, Robredo, 4-0, Del Potro 5-0, Gonzalez, 12-1.....I keep hearing rumors about how Monfils and Soderling have new plans as to how they will play Federer...Ted, in the immortal words of Mike Tyson: "Everybody has a plan, until they get hit..."

Soderling’s tactics paid off

Carolyn, Salt Lake City, Utah — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:50:47 GMT

Go Federer!

Soderling’s tactics paid off

Dave, Antioch, CA — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:40:47 GMT

It's sad that Rafa got bounced. If Federer wins this, which he should, it will seem to many to be a hollow victory. Federer and Nadal need each other much like McEnroe needed Borg in the 'more elegant time' of wood rackets. And it's no coincidence that the two are still good friends. Their rivalry was great for the sport and not too bad for their wallets. This should be Roger's year, but that crazy, ill-tempered Swede might have something to say about that (ill-tempered Swede, isn't that an oxymoron?). Either way, a Federer/Soderling match would be interesting. Either Roger makes history or Soderling becomes the new darling of the tennis world, at least until Wimbledon.