Simon Reed

Surprise Soderling

Thu Nov 26 12:20PM

The two people that have surprised me most in London are Robin Soderling and Roger Federer.

To be honest, Soderling didn't shock me too much against Rafael Nadal. I think Nadal's got problems, and in many ways he's probably the weakest link in the eight-man field at the moment, so a straights-sets loss to Soderling was no great surprise for me.

I was surprised he beat Djokovic.

Djokovic is telling anyone who'll listen how tired he is and I can understand that, but Soderling is playing very well and he's going to be a threat.

I still don't see him as the winner of the tournament but he's going to challenge, especially as he's done so well so far. Soderling does get nervous; I thought that might happen against Djokovic, but he didn't have the time.

If it gets tight in the semi-finals, could possibly against Murray, I'd fancy the Scotto win.

I probably underestimated how tired Djokovic is - I had him as favourite coming into the event. I can still see him winning it, but obviously I'm less confident about that now.

Djokovic is always keen to let people know when he is ailing. Whether that's sub-conscious or conscious I'm not sure but we've seen it with his injuries.

Sometimes he's accused of making too much of them, I don't know about that, but we all know how tired he is now. The excuse is out there and I have a feeling he'll have a dramatic revival.

I do not doubt that he is as tired as he says, but I think the adrenalin will see him though on a short-term fix. With all this tournament means, I think he'll find an extra adrenalin rush to see him through to the weekend.

Murray also looked pretty flat at the end of his match against Federer. I was a little alarmed in the last two or three games. Perhaps he was a victim of the round-robin format where you know you can loss and still go through.

I still think he will go through and maybe there's another Federer match waiting in the final of Sunday. But I underestimated Federer. I didn't think he would be capable of the kind of tennis he is starting to produce.

The second set against Murray and the start of the third - when he really put Murray to bed - were superb. I wasn't sure he had it in him this week.

It's been a momentous year for Federer but he wasn't consistently playing the kind of tennis that he had in previous years. But I'm now seeing Federer as a possible winner of the tournament - unlike when it began.

You can't say he's been a revelation because you should never be that surprised by Federer, but I've bheen surprised by how well he's found his form.

He looked pretty flat early on against Fernando Verdasco and I thought his form would remain at that level. But it hasn't, he's raised his game. He raised it when he needed too against Murray and he's been pretty classy in his opening two matches.

I don't think Murray's serve is a long-term problem, it happens. You wouldn't have wanted it to happen on such a feature match but it did.

I was a little surprised Murray fell away so dramatically at the end of the match but if he gets another crack at Federer I don't think that will happen again.

I don't think there will be a repeat of the cataclysmic slide out that we saw on Tuesday night.

Juan Martin Del Potro looked good against Verdasco but I see Federer beating the Argentine. It won't be easy but the way he's playing I see him winning that clash.

I also see Murray beating Verdasco and Murray going through as the second player of that group.

And in the other group, I think Djokovic will still qualify as the runner-up; I think he'll be able to lift himself.

I'm not as confident as I was about Djokovic but I'm reluctant to change who I back to win it.

I had Djokovic and Murray to win this tournament, Federer wasn't one of my favourites. He's certainly joined them, and I would be foolish to not include him now.

There are a few glitches with the tournament. It looks terrific, it looks like a very big event but there are a few problems to sort out.

The main thing is the players have been saying that sometimes they have problems with the lighting.

It looks great on TV though and I think it's a first-class venue.

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well simon its one of few times that i agree with you...noone can take out roger from winning any tournament as long as he is participating...it s 1 of few times that i ve seen him raising his game at 2 sets deciders matches n he did it twice...he s still the man to beat
From tarifasmanos on Thu Nov 26 12:41PM
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You've missed the boat, Wilander was spot-on regarding his outlook on the O2 Arena end-of-year finals a week ago. A few quotes:
"I don't think he can win the tournament but he can beat Nadal and Djokovic two days in a row, lose to Davydenko and reach the semis." Mats Wilander on Soderling
"I can't see him reaching the semis to be honest." Mats Wilander on Soderling
Precise, simply because the predictions are based on facts not emotions. Yes and regarding Roger Federer, I went to see the great man play at the O2 Arena, and he is indeed a pleasure to watch, and against any player presently on the tour, if he gets above 75% first serves in, he wins (maybe except Nadal on clay)
From aeronick2000 on Thu Nov 26 01:03PM
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Yeah. I don't think you can rule Federer winning any tournament regardless of his form. It's foolish to do so as he's proved so many times.
From longroadofhair on Thu Nov 26 01:12PM
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Very fair article. Tennis form changes from day to day and anything could happen. I hope i'm wrong but at the moment only Federer and Soderling are REALLY on form. The best man on the day wins i suppose but the week after it could be the loser beats the winner here. My dream final is Murray beating Federer.
From jon60p on Thu Nov 26 01:35PM
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I would love to see Soderling play Fed and beat him... I am not entirely sure why he is able to beat Nadal and Djokovic but not Federer - I think it's mental more than anything to do with his game... so I mean, if Robin and Roger both finish first in their groups, they may meet in the finals!
From ma_bali on Thu Nov 26 01:44PM
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Soderling will make it to the final against Djokovic or Federer. He has
the best record so far. he is the surprise of the tournament. This may be
the first time that Soderling will beat Federer either in the semis or final. Simon Reed keeps dreaming on Murray. He fancies Murray beating Soderling in the semis assuming Murray makes it to the semis.. It's time for Reed to wake up. He has been sleeping too long.
From edrom918 on Thu Nov 26 01:55PM
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Congrats to Soderling because he deserved his wins both of the times, but I still don't think he can be named as one of the best players on tour. Yes he played great in some tournaments but not at all of them.
I just hope that the remaining matches are also good quality wise and it is really at Sunday that we know the winner. Impossible to say it now.
From sven8films on Thu Nov 26 02:17PM
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In a sense you cant be surprised at Soderling's progression. I think he was the world number 23 coming into the French Open & the last 3 slams he has fell to Federer which is a familiar feat for most players. He can potentially end the season as world number 7. Its great stuff.
From dools289 on Thu Nov 26 02:18PM
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this stupid reed always says murrya is the favourite for all tennis matches.i do not understand why?
From muralimoni on Thu Nov 26 02:29PM
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why anyone would be surprised that federer has raised his game is beyond me, his record speaks for itself and he knows how to play the big big points. soderling deserved to be in the tournament from the start as his year has been amazing, he will be in the final.
From ajpbolton on Thu Nov 26 02:31PM
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Easily the best article so far by Reed. Good luck Reed, try to keep improving your writing.
From egy_allat on Thu Nov 26 02:35PM
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NOOOOO.. i hope, there will be no curse of Reed on Soderling. as usual, when he writes something on a guy, then, that gay falls victim to the kiss of the death. djokovic, masha, etc etc... NOOOOOO...
From ican79 on Thu Nov 26 02:51PM
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Perhaps he was a victim of round robin format where you know you can loss and still go through. Has anybody read the line ? this @#$% always find some excuse whenever murray losses. what is there to feel surprise with federer's win. we all know that Federer is much better than andy moron even if he is not at his best. Andy Moron may have a better record against federer overall but when it comes to important matches like grand slams and masters cup federer is always up to the task. Few days ago this bloody foolish REED was saying that andy moron is the best player and when he saw him getting crashed by federer, reed immediately started finding an excuse to justify his statement. WHAT AN ILLOGICAL SUCKING ARTICLE.
From javedahmed666 on Thu Nov 26 03:32PM
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Will this Moronic jounalist write objectively and stop making assumptions and plotting courses for Murray? He dint give soderling a chance s well as fed in the begining, gve nole the curse he give murray too nd now he is talking @#$%. I started following tennis in 1996, but I know more than this reedy ming
From tottiman30 on Thu Nov 26 03:47PM
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It's quite a good article from Reed this time. However I don't agree with him. I would put Soderling as a possible winner I thought his game was only good against counter-puncher running machine topspinners like Nadal and Verdasco but he proved it wrong by beating Djokovic. He has the ability to beat even Federer! He can basically beat anyone and win the tournament, Wilander did not overrate him.
From lux.marcell on Thu Nov 26 03:48PM
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i m not surprised that roger raised his game ajpbolton...i m just not used seeing him do that at 2 set decider games...it was a good reaction from him...i think he ll get stronger as days go by and he ll prolly win
From tarifasmanos on Thu Nov 26 03:56PM
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yo reed, who's the real number one and the best in the world? ROFL
From fanrafa on Thu Nov 26 04:08PM
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has reed realized how dump he is when underestimates federer? I hope so,but he still didn't realize how dump he is when he overestimates murray.
From psaliba58 on Thu Nov 26 04:26PM
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we are tired of your long pregnancy without delivery..just get fire will ya!!
From ra.7m7m on Thu Nov 26 04:43PM
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Simon reed, ur comments usually suck, but this one is kindda realistic.. Novak is tired, but we still must not underestimate him.. he can win against right now bad rafa.. but, he can only go to semis if nikolay lose to soderling, but im not sure thats gonna happen.. but novak, whatever u do in this tournament, u have shown us how big fighter u are.. LOVE YA NOLEEE
From ralesrbin on Thu Nov 26 07:06PM
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"But I underestimated Federer. I didn't think he would be capable of the kind of tennis he is starting to produce." Fed is a league of its own, the outcome of any match he plays is almost always decided by his state of mind or how much it means to him. He is playing this finals like a grand slam. He's in to it. Its nice to see that he can rise his game even in 2 sets deciders.
From blaz.lipuscek on Thu Nov 26 07:34PM
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Guys for all those that slammed Wilander on his preview of this tournament they should all raise their hands up in apology. Wilander was SPOT ON in all his predictions. Wilander said Soderling was a threat and a potential top 5 player if his head is okay. I agree we have seen it at times this year. Djokovic was the favourite based on form if he handles his emotions. I agree. Nadal wil not make semis. Well we have witnessed it. Federer's fate depends which Federer shows up i.e If Federer REALLY wants to win he wins. I also agree. Murray needs to be more aggressive if he wants to win a big tournament like this one. I also agree.
Enough said. Does Reed read any other blog except his?
From rnoragbon on Thu Nov 26 08:04PM
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Reed is a joke with his analysis period
From matchtuff on Thu Nov 26 08:23PM
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For me, the biggest downer has been the quality of the line calling. Hawkeye can only partially make up for poor line calling and IMO, it's been consistently bad in this tournament. Great event otherwise though.
From rhymes450 on Thu Nov 26 08:23PM
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Well, Mats Wilander was right when he said that Soderling was in huge condition and could have been the revelation of the tournament... actually all the analysis of Mats were good so far.
Does Reed really believe that Murray is going to beat Soderling in the semis? I think instead that the Sweden seen against Djokovic and Nadal could beat the Scottish, and maybe even in straight sets. I don't want to understimate Murray but he didn't impressed me against both Del Potro and Federer, after a flat beginnig the Swiss has really dominated him.
I think that Roger is going to win the tournament, also because tomorrow Djokovic could go out of the tournament if Davydenko would beat the already qualified Soderling (it's something about sets won and lost)... and even if both Robin and Nikolay have the tennis to challenge and beat Federer at the moment, they probably don't have enough self confidence to do it, having always lost against the world n°1.
From simondi.filippo on Thu Nov 26 09:11PM
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Bias!
From yorke139 on Thu Nov 26 10:47PM
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Sorry Reed, Murray is out. He will win against Soderling, perhaps, someday in the future.
From van.varkensvlees on Thu Nov 26 11:19PM
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Simon Reed wrong Again.Murray is out.Triumph for tennis. More joy for the fans from the attacking tennis del potro shows us than the boring tennis Murray displays.Reed`s wrong predictions dont even surprise me.Just know that the thing thats going to happen is the opposite of his prediction.
From filip_vas19 on Thu Nov 26 11:30PM
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HEY-REED-DO-YOU-SEE-THAT:
BYE-BYE-YOU-ARROGANT-MURR
AY-FEDERER-MADE-YOU-paid-FOR-your-no-RESPECT-
COMMENT-YOU-WILL-Never-BE-A-GENTLEMAN-LE GEND-FEDERER-WAS-40-0up-on-del-potro-served-at-3/3
every body-got-exited-like-REED-but-FED-LET-POTRO-come-b
ack-s o-THE-arrogant-murray-will-be-OUT-IN-HIS-own-GARDE
N-DEL -POTRO-DESERVE-it-anyway:
MURRAY-is-the-REAL-NUMBER
1... ........you-must-be-f..ng-joking-you-reed
MURRAY-IS
-the -REAL-number-4or5-is-level-is-at-tennis-the-same-a
s-reed-comment-fairly-low
From david.tortet on Thu Nov 26 11:53PM
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Muraliromi i agree, he always say that murray is a favorite, i dont get.. looks like he has a man crush
From ralesrbin on Fri Nov 27 12:14AM
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