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Soderling stuns Federer in French quarters

Tue 1st, June 2010

Paris, France (Sports Network) - In a rematch of last year's final, Robin Soderling stunned defending champion Roger Federer in Tuesday's quarterfinal action at the French Open. With the loss, Federer failed to reach a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time in six years.

A fifth-seeded Soderling exacted a measure of revenge on Federer by ousting the world No. 1 superstar in 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 come-from-behind fashion on Court Chatrier. Federer handled Soderling in straight sets in last year's finale here.

This marks Soderling's second major upset here in two years, as he shocked then four-time reigning champion Rafael Nadal in the fourth round here a year ago.

Federer had reached at least the semifinals in the last 23 Grand Slam events, with his last loss before the semis coming at the hands of Gustavo Kuerten in straight sets in the third round of the 2004 French Open. Since then, only Nadal had beaten Federer at Roland Garros.

"This is a big win, but it's not the final," Soderling said. "I don't want to celebrate too much. I want to focus on the next game."

After splitting the first two sets, Federer and Soderling were knotted a 5-5 in the third when rain sent the players off the court. Following a 75-minute delay, Soderling simply had the better of the play, winning eight-of-12 games to pull off the stunner amid cold and damp conditions, which have dominated the fortnight.

The big-hitting Soderling broke Federer to grab a 6-5 edge in the third set and then held his serve with a booming ace to go up two-sets-to-one.

In the fourth set, Federer broke for a 2-0 lead and things seemed to be headed towards a fifth, but Soderling would regain control with one big shot after another, on his way to 49 winners.

Soderling recorded his second break of the fourth set, when a rattled Federer sailed a backhand long, to go up 5-4, and closed out the match on his first match point in the next game when one final Federer forehand went beyond the baseline.

The Swede prevailed in 2 1/2 hours, as he out-aced his Swiss counterpart 14-12 and tallied twice as many breaks (4-2) on the day.

Federer had been a perfect 12-0 lifetime against Soderling, winning 28-of-30 sets.

"It cannot be much better," Soderling told the crowd. "It's great to play on this court. It's for sure my favorite Grand Slam."

The 25-year-old Soderling is trying to become the first Swedish champion here since Mats Wilander in 1988. He'll appear in his second career major semi, with both coming here over the last two campaigns.

When the 16-time major champion Federer titled here last year, he became only the sixth man to secure a career Grand Slam and equaled Pete Sampras' men's record of 14 major titles. The amazing Swiss then went on to pass Sampras by titling at Wimbledon. He also captured this year's Australian Open championship.

Soderling's semifinal opponent will be 15th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych, who blitzed 11th-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 on Day 10 at Roland Garros.

Berdych-Youzhny was also interrupted by rain, with the Czech leading 6-3, 1-1. Following the delay, it was all Berdych, as he mowed down Youzhny in 1 hour, 54 minutes.

The 24-year-old Berdych fired eight aces, to only one for Youzhny, struck 13 more winners (28-15), and broke the Russian's serve a whopping six times, compared to zero breaks in only three break-point chances for Youzhny.

Berdych will now appear in his first-ever Grand Slam semi.

The quarterfinals will conclude here on Wednesday when a second-seeded former world No. 1 Nadal takes on 19th-seeded fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro and third-seeded Serb Novak Djokovic battles 22nd-seeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer.

Nadal is a six-time major champion, with four of his titles coming here in Paris from 2005-08. He topped his great rival Federer in three straight finals here from 2006-08.

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