Match report

David Nalbandian © Tennistalk.com
If Stockholm Open
Final
10/12/08 1 2 3 Tot
ar  David Nalbandian 6 5 6 2
se  Robin Söderling 2 7 3 1
Robin Söderling © Tennistalk.com

  • Stockholm - David Nalbandian captures second title for year

    10/13/08 2:05 AM | Cheryl Murray
    Argentine David Nalbandian had a tall task on Sunday; he had to beat both Robin Söderling and the Swedish crowd around him.

    The final began on a strange note. Argentina’s David Nalbandian had break points on Söderling’s first service game. Nalbandian's return on break point appeared to float long, but no call came from the linesperson. Söderling appealed to the chair umpire and then had a discussion with ATP supervisor Tomas Karlburg to no avail. Nalbandian got the break and the match momentum. He jumped out to a 5-1 lead over the Swede, and eventually closed out the set at 6-2.

    Nalbandian once again raced to an early lead in the second set when Söderling double-faulted on break point. The Argentine appeared to have the match firmly in hand, but at 4-3 Söderling got the break back for 4-4 and shocked his opponent by breaking again when Nalbandian was serving at 5-6 to send the set to a tiebreak.

    The third set stayed on serve until 3-3. Söderling got in a 15-40 hole, but saved the first break point with a forehand winner. Nalbandian got a second serve on the next breakpoint; Söderling hit a gutsy serve to save the second. Söderling saved a third breakpoint after deuce before finally going down to a blistering Nalbandian backhand. The missed opportunities to hold took the wind out of Söderling’s sails. At 3-5 on the Swede’s next service game he went down 15-40 once again and double-faulted on match point.

    Nalbandian adds yet another indoor title to his collection and he heads into the Madrid Masters next week as one of the favorites.

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