It was not a faultless performance by Nadal, who beat the Swede 6-4, 6-2, 6-4; but at times his play was imperious as he cruised to another clay court title, finishing the season having lost just two sets on the surface in 2010, one to Ernest Gulbis at Rome, the other to Nicholas Almagro at Madrid.
On Sunday Soderling was aiming for something that only one other player has achieved, to beat both Nadal and Federer in the same Grand Slam tournament. The only other player to have achieved it was Juan Martin Del Potro, who beat them both on the way to victory in the U.S. Open last year. He may not have pulled it off, but he joined a select group of players, that have, along with Nadal, beaten Federer in a Grand Slam since 2003; only Marat Safin, David Nalbandian (twice), Novak Djokovic, Luis Horna, Gustavo Kuerten and Del Potro have managed it. He was close to another piece of history, aiming to be the eighth player in the Open Era to beat both number one and two seeds in the same Grand Slam. The last time player to do it was Sergi Bruguera, who beat both Sampras and Jim Courier in the 1993 French Open.
The Swede can be proud of his performances leading up to the final at Roland Garros, and his play was brilliant at times, but Nadal is a brilliant player, and herein lies the difference between the two players. After the Spaniard withstood the initial barrage, and took the first set, there was only going to be one winner. Soderling wilted in the second, after fluffing a handful of break point opportunities. From that point on his body language suggested even he did not see a way back against the man-mountain that Nadal has become on clay. Every time he would manufacture an opportunity, he would see it snuffed out by Nadal's brilliance. From tight angles, often on the run, off balance, or mid-slide Uncle Toni's favourite nephew would pull out seemingly impossible winners, much to the dismay of the Soderling, who saw eleven break point chances come and go.
Seven of these were in the first set, and after Nadal had squeaked home, and started the second with a break of serve, Soderling had a chance to break straight back. Having left the door open, Nadal shut it with imperceptible coolness, depriving his opponent any momentum to build a comeback on.
The fifth seed used his forehand to good effect early on, but the problem was that hitting it cross-court sent it straight to the left-handed Nadal's strength. His first serve had been a great asset for him all tournament long, but it deserted him in the second set, and a forty-one percentage on first serves is not good enough against adversaries of the Spaniard's quality. As good as Nadal is, he gave his opponent very few cheap points. Mixing up his game, in particular using his slice to great effect, Soderling was kept off balance for most of the match, and looked ill at-ease when drawn into the net.
To beat Nadal at anywhere near his best, you have to be at your best for five sets, and Soderling reached the heights on occasion, he could not sustain it. Aggressive from the start, he strove not to let the new world number one dictate rallies, and sought to end rallies as quickly as possible (getting sucked into long and brutal rallies with the Spaniard is not a winning tactic, especially on clay). While this aggressive approach was the only feasible tactic, it meant that errors were an ever present feature of his game, as many balls flew long or ended up in the net. Still, he can take solace in the fact that he remains the only man to have beaten Nadal on the clay courts of Roland Garros, but this match lends credence to the arguments that the Spaniard was far below optimum fitness this time last year. Having achieved his fifth title, and regained his crown as French Open Champion, Nadal seemed overwhelmed, covering his face before receiving his prize.
He has still to encounter his equal at Roland Garros, but later this month will find Federer a more challenging proposition on the grass of Wimbledon as the Swiss eyes Sampras' seven titles. Borg will have to wait.
Photo is the property of Reves(PictFactory).
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