Hamburg Match Report: Federer/Soderling

The second match on Center Court today, featuring top-ranked Swiss legend Roger Federer squaring off against 48th-ranked Swede Robin Soderling, figured to be only slightly more difficult for Federer than his first match romp against Jarkko Nieminen in the previous round. After all, Fed had beaten Nieminen in all eight matches they had played, whereas he’s only defeated Soderling all five times they’ve played. Now, that might not seem like a difference were noting, since both players are 0-for-Federer in their careers, but give Soderling those extra three matches, and who knows what would happen?! (Editorial note: I’m kind of being sarcastic here). So, to the match we go!

As expected, Federer wastes no time in establishing his dominance, winning his serve at 30 and getting to three break points against the Swede’s serve, returning a Soderling overhead past the sprawling Swede at net. Soderling rallies, however, (literally!) and is able to pull out the game. 1-1. Fed tears through another service game at 15 for 2-1. Boris Becker sits courtside, looking a bit opossum-like with his spikey blond hair.

Soderling’s game plays opossum on his next service attempt, as the Swede sleepily sweeps a few careless shots long for 15-40. Robin doesn’t even give Superman, I mean, Federer a chance to be a break-squanderer this game by sailing his forehand long, Roger’s now up a break 3-1. Feds predictably breezes through another service game at 15 to stretch his first set lead to 4-1.

In the next game, Soderling’s opossum wakes up (or something like that) as he seems to say, “Hey, wow, holding your serve at 15 seems like a great plan - let’s see if I can do that!” And he does. Roger leads 4-2, serving. Fed sticks to the “hold at 15″ plan himself and goes up 5-2. These two are master strategists, the way they come up with this stuff!

Serving to try and stay in the set, the Swede finds himself at 30-30 - the winners-to-unforced-errors stats at this juncture are almost mirror images of one another (Fed has 11 winners and 5 errors, Robin has 4 winners and 11 errors). A fifth winner would really help Soderling’s cause here (as well as improve the mirror image). (Editorial note: my metaphors are out of control in this match report, and for that I do apologize).

So, where were we again? Oh yes! Big point! 30-30! Would you stop all this gabbing and get on with it?! Well hey, whaddaya know? A big forehand winner from Soderling, and the mirror image is now perfect. Robin aces for 5-3, Roger now serving for the set. Federer decides that holding at 15 is now passe, and bad strategy to boot, so he instead holds at love and takes the first set 6-3. Love is always the answer, people.

In the first game of the second set, Soderling serving at 30-30, Roger hits one of his patented running forehand down the line passing shots to gain break point, and Robin helps him to it by overouting an inside-out forehand and hitting it wide. Federer, in a shocking and shoddy display, only holds at 30 in his ensuing service game and leads 2-0.

Soderling now gets on the love train to hold for 1-2. In other news: there are people in the crowd with cameras. It’s true! They just did a televised montage of them. Tres arty, and very meta - watching the watchers, if you will.

And good lord, what’s this? Federer, no doubt deciding to change things up in this boring match, shanks a forehand at 15-30 to give a double break point chance to Soderling. An interesting change of strategy! Well, false alarm and bully to that. Two big serves to deuce. Fed hits an awesome faked drop shot that he turns into a slice forehand winner. Robbie Keonig calls it “cheeky”. Ace for Federer, he leads 3-0. This match is just zipping along. At this time in the Ferrer/Verdasco match, they were probably still at deuce in the first game.

Roger decides it might be fortuitous to add another break to his collection and hits an unbelievable reflex volley with Soderling serving at 15-30 for two more break points. The Swede brings it back to deuce - how disagreeable! A few more deuces ensue (you know how I love them). Some very nice points are played (maybe you’ll see them on YouTube one day) and then Roger, in a fit of sympathy, pushes a backhand long for 3-2.

Roger doesn’t cotton much to sympathy in his next service game however, and love is back in the air and on the court - Roger’s spraying his love all over the place! Er, 4-2 Fed leads. Soderling nets a backhand at 30-30 in his next service game for another Roger break point. And the Swede has had enough of Roger’s sympathy, so he smacks a forehand wide. Take that, Roger! Fed leads 5-2, and serves it out at 15. The final score: 6-3 6-2.

But what about the mirror, you say? Well, the mirror image remained quite in tact throughout the match, as in the final stats Roger has 24 winners to 10 errors and Soderling 12 winners to 24 errors. Federer moves on to play Verdasco.