Men’s singles final: R. Federer (No2) – R. Soderling (No23)

Roger Federer

VS.

Robin Soderling

BACKGROUND
Roger Federer has enjoyed a magnificent career, but this final is probably his most important match to date. If he wins, the Swiss maestro will become one of the all-time greats, matching Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slam titles. But above all, he will have won all four Grand Slams, a feat which only five men have managed to do so far, and only Andre Agassi has achieved on four different surfaces. Roger was unlucky enough to come up against an on-fire Rafael Nadal in his last three finals on the red clay, but this time the Mallorcan is not the one standing between him and the trophy.	Robin Soderling has been THE big surprise at Roland Garros this year. Up until now, he had never even made it past the third round in a Grand Slam. Now here he is, following in the footsteps of his compatriots Björn Borg and Mats Wilander, who both won their first Grand Slam in Paris. Soderling has had an amazing run so far at the French. He created a stir when he took down David Ferrer, shocked the world when he upset Rafael Nadal, and then moved on to demolish Nikolay Davydenko and Fernando Gonzalez. This line-up of clay masters could not prevail against the strength of the Swede’s game. So why should Federer be any different?
CURRENT FORM
Somewhat paradoxically, Roger has never been closer to getting his hands on the famous Coupe des Mousquetaires, just when many claim he is not playing his best tennis. After struggling past Jose Acasuso in the second round, the No2 seed was staring defeat in the face during his fourth-round tie against Tommy Haas, before fighting back from two sets down for only the fifth time in his career. In his semi-final, the 13-time Grand Slam winner was in serious difficulty against Juan Martin Del Potro, but the fact that he managed to turn things around in the face of adversity will surely reinforce his mental attitude. The father-to-be is also in excellent shape at the moment.	One word comes to mind when describing Soderling’s form: blazing. The only time he showed any real signs of fatigue was in the semi-final against Gonzalez. Trailing 4-1 in the last set, Magnus Norman’s student dug deep in his reserves to beat the Chilean in the final stretch. With a rest day on Saturday, he will surely be in form and ready to battle it out for the title.
STRENGTHS
As we have said many times before, Roger Federer’s strengths are too many to mention in just a few lines. The Swiss No2 seed is the most complete player in the history of tennis and this clay season the 27-year-old has introduced a new weapon to his already well-stocked arsenal: the drop shot, which he has used with amazing efficiency during this tournament. Coupled with his outstanding serve, devastating forehand, accurate volley, mighty mental attitude and supreme physique, the Swiss star is a terrifying prospect to face across the net.	Soderling is all about power. His game is capable of destruction. His ultra-powerful forehand is perhaps the best on tour, and he has a heavy two-handed backhand. His serve - even his second serve - is exceptionally strong. During his spectacular match against Nadal it was clear that the Swede is capable of crushing anyone. That said, pace-changing and patience are not really his thing…
TACTICS
Roger Federer seems to have all the tools he needs to claim the title. His sliced backhand has cut the Swede up on various occasions in the past. But Roger has a lot riding on this final, and must serve well from the start if he wants to avoid being put under any extra pressure. Above all, he must make a strong start and establish his ascendancy very early on.	The main reason behind Robin’s marvellous run at Roland is the transformation of his mental game. In the past, his boiling character betrayed him. Now, his psychological game is rock solid, based on his performance against Nadal and Gonzalez. But what about the final? Will he be able to keep his head? His opponent has experience on his side. The beginning of the match will no doubt be key to the victory.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
The Swiss maestro leads 9-0 in this head-to-head. Federer has a clear lead over Soderling, even on fast surfaces where the Swede, in theory, feels more at ease. Last year Roger beat Soderling in three sets in the second round at Wimbledon, their only Grand Slam encounter so far.	On clay, Soderling has lost twice to Federer: in Hamburg last year and in Madrid this year. He didn’t win a single set. In fact, the Swede has won only one set in their nine matches, and that was on grass in Halle in 2005.