News & Photos / Match Reports / As it happened: No.1 Roger Federer v No.5 Robin Soderling

As it happened: No.1 Roger Federer v No.5 Robin Soderling

19:42 Game, set and match Soderling 3-6 6-3 7-5 6-4

Soderling sets up two match points, moving Federer around the court before delivering the knock-out blows with his off-forehand. The top seed hits a forehand return long and crashes out of the French Open. A supreme display by Soderling in overturning a 0-12 record against the world No.1. The remainder of the draw might want to watch the replay of this match. Soderling has just established himself as the top contender for this title.

19:38 Fourth set: Soderling 5-4

More loose play from Federer and he's facing another two break points on serve. He saves the first with a 188 k/ph ace, his 12th for the match, but hefty serving can't cover the world No.1's flawed game off the ground. He hits a backhand long after a tentative rally and steers Soderling into a commanding position in this quarter-final.

19:35 Fourth set: 4-4

Soderling holds to love, a strong statement from the No.5-seeded player.

19:26 Fourth set: Federer 4-3

After a brief rain shower the players are back from their courtside perch and straight back into battle. Soderling takes the first point on the Federer serve and another deep return, at 15-30 down brings the game to 30-30. Federer nets a forehand, by far his weakest wing in today's match, and it's break point to Soderling. The top seed saves it with an ace down the 'T'. Soderling calls the umpire to inspect the mark, eliciting whistles from the crowd. He gets no joy and the point stands. The Swede thumps a forehand return into the Federer backhand to offer Soderling a second break point, but the Swede misguides a forehand down the line and points are at deuce again. Soderling picks off an off-forehand winner to secure a third chance to break but Federer ups the pace on his topspin backhand, drawing an error from the Swede. He roars c'mon! An ace and the defending champion stands at game point but he can't press home the advantage, netting an angled backhand drive. It's deuce and the crowd is really starting to get involved. Another game point to the Swiss is saved by another Soderling forehand. He thumps down another huge serve for game point, Soderling submitting at last with a netted backhand return. Huge game for the defending champion but he's nowhere near out of the woods in the face of today's barrage of brilliance from Soderling.

19:18 Fourth set: 3-3 RAIN DELAY

Soderling plays the tit-for-tat game again, holding to love. The rain is coming down hard and the umpire consults court supervisor Wayne McKewen. A walkie-talkie discussion ensues and the players take their seats as the fans huddle beneath umbrellas.

19:18 Fourth set: Federer 3-2

Strong response from Federer as he holds to love.

19:13 Fourth set: 2-2

Soderling keeps finding minute gaps with that firecracker of a forehand. In contrast, Federer's forehand leaves a lot to be desired and the errors keep coming. If clay was flammable, Soderling's forehand clean winner on game point would have set Philippe Chatrier Court ablaze.

19:11 Fourth set: Federer 2-1

Soderling steadies and rallies with his top-ranked opponent, earning a 40-0 lead on the Federer serve. The Swiss saves the first break point with a wide serve out to the Soderling backhand but can't control his forehand on the next point, hitting wide to concede the break back.

19:07 Fourth set: Federer 2-0

Soderling surges to a 40-15 lead on serve but Federer finds his A game, delivering a searching backhand down the line to take the Swede to 40-30 before executing a text book backhand volley for deuce. Soderling nets a straightforward backhand drive and stares down a break point. A long rally ensues, Soderling pressing hard with his forehand but cracking and driving one into the tape. It's a break to Federer.

19:06 Fourth set: Federer 1-0

Federer makes amends for his third set failings, serving up a strong game to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth set.

18:58 Third set: Soderling 7-5

Federer must have had a nap in that rain delay. He's looking decidedly rusty out there. He doesn't even see the ball on a body-line serve by Soderling, batting it into the court to hand the Swede 30-0. He gets one point back off a Soderling double fault but an ace on the next point gives the No.5 seed two set points. He fluffs the first with a forehand volley into the net. It looks like Federer has handed the set over with a careless forehand drive over the baseline but further investigation by the umpire reveals the ball was in. Soderling replays the point, dishing up another ace - his 12th for the match - to take a two sets to one lead in this quarter-final. He assumes his customary towel-over-the-head position at the change of ends.

18:48 Third set: Soderling 6-5

Soderling comes out of the blocks fastest following the rain delay, hustling Federer to deuce. The world No.1 double faults to hand Soderling a break point opportunity. The Swede takes it after a perfectly constructed point during which he eases himself to the net before slotting away a forehand winner. Federer barely reacts. It's a break to the No.5 seed.

17:37 Third set: 5-5

Federer 30-15 on serve. RAIN DELAY Federer overcomes a missed first point to lead 30-15 on serve when the rain starts bucketing down. The players are escorted off court. The sky is an odd colour - we could be in for a bit of a wait here.

17:32 Third set: 5-5

Second serves a-go-go from Soderling and Federer pounces, taking the first two points on the Swede's serve. He fights back to 30-30, but drives a backhand long off that baffling Federer backhand slice to hand the Swiss a set point. Soderling saves it with the biggest point of the match so far, Federer hitting an overhead smash in reply to a Soderling smash, the Swede whipping around to hit a jump backhand smash winner for deuce. Even Mirka applauds that one. The No.5 seed weathers the storm and holds.

17:29 Third set: Federer 5-4

Neck and neck in the third set. The two men are both getting 67 percent of first serves in now. who's going to blink first? There's the sense that serving consistency is going to be decisive in this set, and that this set could decide the outcome of this match.

17:26 Third set: 4-4

Federer comes the closest he's been to breaking the Soderling serve for quite some time, despite some impressive shot making from the Swede. At 30-30 the No.1 seed has a sitter of a forehand volley. He has the option of slamming it down Soderling's throat but instead frames it into the stands off the top of his racquet to hand the Swede game point. A backhand down the line error and it's game to Soderling.

17:24 Third set: Federer 4-3

The defending champion launches and out and out assault on the net and it works. He holds and clings to his serving advantage in the third set.

17:20 Third set: 3-3

Quick-fire hold for Soderling. He's fearless out there today and, although the score is tight in this third set, his seems the lighter heart at the moment.

17:15 Third set: Federer 3-2

Federer is used to dictating points from inside the baseline but Soderling has repeatedly relegated him to the role of counter-puncher in this match. The Swedes ground strokes are ballistic today. Federer holds from 40-30. Soderling questions the serve on the game point but gets no joy from the umpire's inspection of the mark.

17:12 Third set: 2-2

Soderling is hitting the cover off the ball at the moment. Even the world No.1, with his variety off the backhand wing, has no reply for Soderling's savage blows into his backhand corner. She chases down everything makes little impression on the Swede's service game.

17:09 Third set: Federer 2-1

The Federer first serve percentage is creeping up, and not before time. He gets a wrist slap for a poor drop volley, Soderling pushing it down the line for a brilliant winner. That is the Swede's only point on the Federer serve this game though.

17:08 Third set: 1-1

Anything Federer can do, Soderling will match at the moment. He too holds for the loss of one point.

17:06 Third set: Federer 1-0

Regulation hold from Federer. He makes a foray to the net - an under-used tactic in this match so far - dropping one point.

17:03 Second set: the stats

What a difference a first service percentage makes. Soderling improved his from 47% in the first set to 71% in the second. That paid real dividends for the No.5 seed, especially with him winning 77 percent of points when he got the first serve in. Federer's first serve dipped to 52 percent in that set. The top seed knows consistent serving is the key to victory in this match so what's he playing at?

16:58 Second set: Soderling 6-3

Soderling delivers his fastest serve for the match at 220 k/ph to take him to 40-15 on serve and two set points. Then he serves his fourth double fault for the match for 40-30 and nets a backhand for deuce. He earns a third set point with a clean backhand winner and Federer nets a topspin backhand to hand Soderling the game, and the set.

16:56 Second set: Soderling 5-3

Federer holds to 15, his only lost point coming off a Soderling net chord that just makes it to the Swiss' side of the court.

16:53 Second set: Soderling 5-2

An easy hold for Soderling but for one horrible shanked volley that should have been a winner into the open court. He pushes on in the second set.

16:49 Second set: Soderling 4-2

The depth and pace of Soderling's shots is causing Federer all kinds of problems out there. The world No.1 drops two points but holds serve and hangs in there. Umbrellas go up all around Philippe Chatrier Court and Federer spends some time rummaging around in his racquet bag. Is he hoping the drizzle will set in and buy him some much-needed rain delay time?

16:44 Second set: Soderling 4-1

Soderling gives Federer a battering with his serve and holds to love for the first time in the match. So heavy are his deliveries that one of the world No.1's returns barely makes it over the net. It's as if the two men have swapped games in the second set.

16:42 Second set: Soderling 3-1

A big forehand cross-court winner from Federer at 30-30 on serve carries him to game point. Points go back to deuce after the world No.1 nets a forehand but he hangs tough and gets on the board in the second set.

16:38 Second set: Soderling 3-0

The winners are starting to flow from Soderling's racquet and Federer is looking a little tentative out there all of a sudden. The Swede drops - you guessed it - two points, but holds serve to extend his lead. He took a set off the world No.1 at the US Open late last year, the first time he had done so since Halle in 2005! Can he better that here today?

16:35 Second set: Soderling 2-0

Federer's first serve percentage dips and so does his success rate. Getting 60 percent of first serves in against Soderling is asking for trouble. The Swede jumps all over the top seed's second serve and breaks for the first time in this match.

16:30 Second set: Soderling 1-0

Federer is devouring short balls in this match. It's like target practice for the world No.1. Soderling drops his, now traditional, two points on serve to open the scoring in the second set.

16:28 First set: Federer 6-3

The first set is Federer's as he again holds with ease. It seems he, too, has benefitted from a year of planning for this clay court re-match.

16:21 First set: Federer 5-3

Federer makes just his third unforced error in this 26-minute match to hand Soderling a 15-0 lead on the Swede's serve. By average standards, Soderling's game is the height of consistency but against Federer his nine unforced errors look positively careless. He commits his third double fault for the match to go 30-30 on serve. Federer earns a break point after a Soderling groundstroke hits the tape and flies wide but the No.17 seed saves it with an ace. He's not so lucky on Federer's next break point opportunity, volleying a backhand way wide of the trams. The Swiss extends his first set lead.

16:19 First set: Federer 4-3

It says something for the quality of Federer's serving in this match if dropping a point to Soderling on serve constitutes an event. One point is all he allows his world No.7 opponent as he executes another rapid hold.

16:16 First set: 3-3

Soderling's still looking for a clean slate on serve, but is at least consistent out there, dropping two points en route to holding.

16:13 First set: Federer 3-2

Blink and you'll miss Federer's service games at the moment. He's got the one-two punch combo down to a fine art, serving bombs, then putting away short forehand drives behind them. Easy hold for the world No.1.

16:09 First set: 2-2

The Soderling forehand is beginning to fire and it's quite the weapon when he times it right. Federer pushes him to 30-30 on serve, but no further. The Swede holds and levels the first set.

16:07 First set: Federer 2-1

Federer storms to a love service game. He said prior to this match that he'd need to serve well to win. Looks like he's following his own advice, winning 83 percent of points on his first serve and 100 percent of points on his second delivery.

15:58 First set: 1-1

We talked about Federer's variety in the preview and he's already thrown the kitchen sink at Soderling in this match, executing a text book backhand drop shot to advance to 30-0 on the Swede's serve. Soderling draws on his famed power game, a clean forehand winner and an unreturnable serve, helping him to 40-30 but Federer isn't done. He chases down everything Soderling throws at him before slicing a short backhand down the line for deuce, then hits a clean backhand winner down the line to earn a break point opportunity. Soderling responds with a clean winner of his own - a forehand down the line - and it's deuce again. A perfectly disguised forehand return from Federer falls in for a clean winner and he has another break point but Soderling is prepared to track everything down as well, executing a backhand volley after a Federer drop-shot goes awry. Federer dumps a backhand return into the net and it's game point for Soderling to hold and the Swede crunches another clean forehand winner, after a long baseline rally, to hold serve. Things are getting exciting early on Philippe Chatrier Court.

15:56 First set: Federer 1-0

Federer makes a statement at the start of this match, some big serving earning him a 40-0 lead in the opening game. Soderling lashes a forehand return winner to claw one point back, but the defending champion gets on the board with ease.

15:41 Pre-match

So, a rematch of last year's French Open final. Will Roger Federer steam through a 13th-consecutive win over Robin Soderling or can the Swede find some shot-making magic and score his first ATP World Tour victory over the world No.1?

Court Philippe Chatrier Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
	Roger Federer SUI (1)							6		3		5		4
	Robin Soderling SWE (5)							3		6		7		6

Match Statistics

Serve Statistics