Clay maestro Rafa Nadal was in cruise control in the latest phase of his French Open build-up while Robin Soderling, the man who ended the Spaniard's Roland Garros reign, crashed out of the Madrid Open on Wednesday.
Roger Federer and Andy Murray avoided the need for fiddly mathematics on Thursday as they both produced dominant displays to qualify for the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals.
World No 8 Robin Soderling, the highest-ranked player left in the Barcelona Open after a slew of withdrawals, sprinted into the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Spain's Feliciano Lopez on Thursday.
Rafael Nadal is the oldest title winner in the history of the clay-court tournament.
Robin Soderling signalled his intentions for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals when he claimed his maiden Masters title with a clinical 6-1, 7-6 defeat of local favourite Gael Monfils in Paris on Sunday.
Swiss maestro Roger Federer sliced through fifth seed Robin Soderling for a 6-1, 6-1 victory to reach the Shanghai Masters semi-finals on Friday. Federer now faces a last four showdown with Serb Novak Djokovic, who trounced unseeded Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-3.
World number one Caroline Wozniacki began life at the top with an injury scare on Friday, while Ivan Ljubicic completed a cull of seeds when he beat Andy Murray on yet another smoggy day at the China Open.
The 20-times Grand Slam champion is putting various items under the hammer in two sales in June and July at Christie's to raise money for his foundation.
Swedish third seed Robin Soderling clinched the World Indoor Tournament title when opponent Mikhail Youzhny withdrew injured when trailing 6-4, 2-0 in the final on Sunday.
Images from day eight action at the US Open being played at the Flushing Meadows in New York.
Top seed Robin Soderling was beaten 6-4, 7-5 by American Robby Ginepri in his opening match at the Chennai Open on Tuesday.
Swede Robin Soderling claimed his second major upset at the ATP World Tour Finals on Wednesday when he beat world number three Novak Djokovic 7-6, 6-1.
A display of violent hitting from Robin Soderling on Saturday showed why it is always unwise to ignore a Swede at the business end of Wimbledon as Serena Williams gave herself a 'must do better' report as she eased into round four.
He was all smiles on Sunday but there were times earlier this year when Rafael Nadal's uncle and coach Toni feared his nephew was struggling to recover from the darkest period of his career.
Rafael Nadal proved that when he is fit in body and mind nobody can stop him at the French Open, least of all last year's tormentor Robin Soderling.
Rafa Nadal reclaimed his French Open crown in emphatic style on Sunday when he battered Sweden's Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 to win the title for the fifth time in six years.
Defending champion Roger Federer suffered a stunning quarter-final exit at the French Open on Tuesday when the Swiss lost 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 to Sweden's Robin Soderling in a rain-interrupted match on Chatrier Court.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have not put a foot wrong so far at this year's French Open and all signs point to the world's two outstanding men's players duelling for the title on Sunday.
Robin Soderling speaks in a soft voice that belies the brutality of a game, which on Sunday booked him the easiest of routes into the French Open second round.
Fernando Verdasco's confidence on clay is sky high as long as he does not have to play Rafael Nadal, the Barcelona Open champion said on Sunday.
Fernando Verdasco's confidence on clay is sky high as long as he does not have to play Rafa Nadal, the Barcelona Open champion said on Sunday.
French Open runner-up Robin Soderling ruined Eduardo Schwank's 24th-birthday celebrations when he thrashed the unseeded Argentine 6-2, 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open on Friday.
French Open runner-up Robin Soderling survived a second-set fightback from Juan Ignacio Chela to defeat the Argentine 7-5, 7-5 in the second round of the Barcelona Open on Tuesday.
While all eyes are on Roger Federer and Serena Williams, who begin the defence of their US Open titles at Flushing Meadows on Monday, at look at some lower-ranked players who could make an impact last Grand Slam of the year.
Rafael Nadal survived a battle of creaky knees against David Ferrer on Wednesday, the fellow Spaniard retiring hurt from their second round match at the Montreal Masters to gift the world number two a comeback win. American fifth seed Andy Roddick, another player enjoying a career revival this season, also advanced with a tidy 6-1, 7-6 win over Russian Igor Andreev.
Rafa Nadal's 11-month title drought continued after American Andy Roddick beat the Spaniard 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the Sony Ericsson Open final Friday. Sixth seed Roddick will face Tomas Berdych in the final after the Czech swept past Swede Robin Soderling 6-2, 6-2.
Czech Tomas Berdych fought back from a set down to beat Spain's Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 on Thursday and set up a Sony Ericsson Open semi-final against Robin Soderling.
Sixth seed Robin Soderling delivered a tennis master class in the opening set before eliminating fourth seed Andy Murray 6-1, 7-6 in the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Friday.
Top seed Robin Soderling had to battle for almost two hours to overcome Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 and reach the quarter-finals of the Marseille Open on Thursday.
Russian Mikhail Youzhny upset top seed Novak Djokovic 7-6, 7-6 on Saturday to reach the final of the World Indoor Tournament. Sixth seed Youzhny, the 2007 champion, next faces Swede Robin Soderling who overcame Nikolay Davydenko of Russia 7-6, 6-4.
Sweden's Robin Soderling put an indifferent start to the year behind him by beating Frenchman Florent Serra 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the first round of the World Indoor Tournament on Monday.
Champion Rafa Nadal has withdrawn from next week's Wimbledon warm-up tournament at Queen's Club with a knee injury, organisers said on Friday. The Wimbledon champion has been struggling with knee problems and has been advised to rest by doctors.
Third seed Andy Murray was outclassed on his least favourite surface by Chile's Fernando Gonzalez on Tuesday, losing 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 in the French Open quarter-finals.
Robin Soderling's abject surrender to Robby Ginepri in the opening round may have been a huge blow for the organisers, but it kept the reputation of the tournament intact. The Chennai Open has, over the years, become a graveyard for the big ticket players.
Top seed Robin Soderling has a tricky first match as the opening round at the 2010 Aircel Chennai Open, has some interesting matches lined up when the tournament begins on Monday.
Last year's finalist and India's top singles players in the ATP, Somdev Devvarman has been drawn to play German Rainer Schuettler in the first round main draw of the Chennai Open ATP Tennis tournament on Monday.
Nikolay Davydenko sealed the last semi-final berth at the ATP World Tour Finals on Friday, claiming the victory he needed over Robin Soderling, to send 2008 champion Novak Djokovic spinning out of the tournament.
Until this year Robin Soderling's career could be described as steady rather than spectacular, a solid pro but one unlikely to really worry the top guys.
Robin Soderling is unlikely to be on Rafael Nadal's Christmas card list this year after once again getting under the Spaniard's skin at the ATP World Tour Finals.
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