A Soderling Reminder: Nadal won 9 out of his first 10 RG appearances

[King No1e]

2005: d. Puerta 6-7(8) 6-3 6-1 7-5
2006: d. Federer 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6(4)
2007: d. Federer 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
2008: d. Federer 6-1 6-3 6-0
2009: l. Soderling 6-2 6-7(2) 6-4 7-6(2)
2010: d. Soderling 6-4 6-2 6-4
2011: d. Federer 7-5 7-6(3) 5-7 6-1
2012: d. Djokovic 6-4 6-3 2-6 7-5
2013: d. Ferrer 6-3 6-2 6-3
2014: d. Djokovic 3-6 7-5 6-2 6-4

Ombeleeble, no?

 

[Backspin1183]

 

[MeatTornado]

I love that Rafa was so offended at his 5-peat getting interrupted that he just sighed and started from scratch again until he got it.

 

[Pheasant]

Poor Soderling. He really deserved a FO title. He couldn't zone long enough to take out Nadal and Federer in the same tourney.

 

[Fedforever]

Poor Soderling. He really deserved a FO title. He couldn't zone long enough to take out Nadal and Federer in the same tourney.

Imagine if he'd got the Federer defeat/victory the wrong way round......

 

[mike danny]

Imagine if he'd got the Federer defeat/victory the wrong way round......

 

[MichaelNadal]

Exactly lol.

I love that Rafa was so offended at his 5-peat getting interrupted that he just sighed and started from scratch again until he got it.

I love threads like this, we need to remember how epic what he's done to an entire surface, it's unreal.

 

[Cabeza del Demonio]

Exactly lol.
And I love threads like this, we need to remember how epic what he's done to an entire surface, it's unreal.

And that total dominance he has imposed on one surface shouldn't take away from his mastery of all surfaces. Few players could ever hope to be as accomplished on all 3 surfaces as Nadal is. Career Slam at 24, Surface Slam at 22, won on all 3 surfaces in the same year, has 2+ titles and 5+ finals on every surface.

 

[BrokenForehand]

losing that 09 match seems odd until today, is it because of his parents getting divorced or the madrid match with novak?

 

[travlerajm]

2005: d. Puerta 6-7(8) 6-3 6-1 7-5
2006: d. Federer 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6(4)
2007: d. Federer 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
2008: d. Federer 6-1 6-3 6-0
2009: l. Soderling 6-2 6-7(2) 6-4 7-6(2)
2010: d. Soderling 6-4 6-2 6-4
2011: d. Federer 7-5 7-6(3) 5-7 6-1
2012: d. Djokovic 6-4 6-3 2-6 7-5
2013: d. Ferrer 6-3 6-2 6-3
2014: d. Djokovic 3-6 7-5 6-2 6-4

Ombeleeble, no?

Credit for good thread title pun.

 

[Cabeza del Demonio]

losing that 09 match seems odd until today, is it because of his parents getting divorced or the madrid match with novak?

Both of those played a role, but most importantly, Soderling was one of the world's best claycourters in his prime. He would've probably won a French Open or two had his career not ended abruptly in 2011.

 

[Standaa]

god, imagine winning a slam ten consecutive times

 

[RelentlessAttack]

Djokovic with the big Madrid 09 assist to that win, otherwise might have seen a 10-peat.

 

[MeatTornado]

god, imagine winning a slam ten consecutive times

We'll find out at RG 2026

 

[mike danny]

Both of those played a role, but most importantly, Soderling was one of the world's best claycourters in his prime. He would've probably won a French Open or two had his career not ended abruptly in 2011.

Thiem vs Soderling peak for peak at RG. I wonder who would win.

 

[mike danny]

god, imagine winning a slam ten consecutive times

I'm surprised he never won it more than 5 times in a row.

Winning a slam 6 times in a row really is impossible if even Nadal at RG hasn't done it

 

[Deleted member 768841]

Poor Soderling. He really deserved a FO title. He couldn't zone long enough to take out Nadal and Federer in the same tourney.

No.

 

[Standaa]

I'm surprised he never won it more than 5 times in a row.

Winning a slam 6 times in a row really is impossible if even Nadal at RG hasn't done it

yeah, it’s interesting how five is always the limit for everyone at every GS... maybe even Fed’s strange USO loss to Delpo in 09 only happened because 6 wasn’t meant to be.

 

[Deleted member 768841]

yeah, it’s interesting how five is always the limit for everyone at every GS... maybe even Fed’s strange USO loss to Delpo in 09 only happened because 6 wasn’t meant to be.

6 to tennis is the equivalent of 3 to Valve.

 

[King No1e]

yeah, it’s interesting how five is always the limit for everyone at every GS... maybe even Fed’s strange USO loss to Delpo in 09 only happened because 6 wasn’t meant to be.

5 just seems to be the magic limit:
Emerson: 5 AO in a row 63-67, didn't play in 68 and never won it again
Borg: 5 Wimbledon from 76-80, lost to Mac in 81 and retired
Federer: 5 Wimbledon from 03-07
Federer (again): 5 USO from 04-08, lost to Del Potro in 09
Nadal: 5 RG 10-14, before Djokovic finally beat him

 

[Fedforever]

Navratilova did six Wimbledons in a row.