Federer lays down marker in London
Roger Federer became the first singles player to book his semi-final spot at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals with a 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 victory over Robin Soderling at the O2 Arena in London this afternoon.
The result was also good news for British number one Andy Murray, who now knows he needs only to win a set in this evening’s clash with David Ferrer to make the last four on home soil at the end-of-season showpiece for the first time.
Federer said: “Playing against Robin’s never easy, he’s a big hitter, but I played really well against a player who’s in great shape also so I’m really pleased.”
Soderling knew that realistically he needed to win the match to stay in contention for a last-four spot and he came out with all guns blazing, troubling Federer early on.
The Swede was struggling to find first serves, though, and that was to cost him in his second service game as he just overcooked a volley to give Federer the first break.
Just how well the world number two played in his demolition of Andy Murray had got a little lost amid the criticism of the Scot’s performance, and Soderling must have feared the first set was already out of his reach.
But this time Federer blinked and a couple of forehand errors allowed Soderling to break back for 4-4. Despite the close nature of the match, it lacked a certain intensity that developed only during the first-set tie-break.
The Swiss made the first move to lead 3-2 after a brilliant rally but on his first set point he played an uncharacteristically sloppy forehand, letting Soderling right back into the game.
And he looked set to level at 6-6 when he took charge of the rally and came to the net but, instead of putting away Federer’s scrambled backhand, he left it, and then watched in horror as the ball dropped well inside the line.
A set was all Federer needed to be sure of winning Group B but there was still a match to be won, and he showed he was not about to let his opponent off the hook by saving two break points in the opening game of the second set.
Soderling thought he had taken the second one with a searing forehand down the line but Federer challenged the call and the replay showed the ball to be a fraction wide.
History was certainly not on the Swede’s side, with his victory over Federer at this year’s French Open his only one in 15 attempts, while their most recent meeting in Shanghai last month saw Soderling thrashed 6-1 6-1.
The fourth seed dug deep to save two break points in the fourth game but four games later he was staring down the barrel again as Federer came out on top of a stunning rally, and this time the world number two took the break with a backhand pass that was just too good for his opponent.
That left the 29-year-old serving for the match, and he sealed victory with the minimum of fuss when Soderling netted a return.
