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10/9/09 5:54 PM | Ricky Dimon
A blockbuster Saturday semifinal in Beijing features Novak Djokovic taking on Robin Soderling. The winner will face either Rafael Nadal or Marin Cilic for the title.
Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers when they do battle in the semifinals of the China Open on Saturday afternoon. Djokovic has won all three previous meetings with Soderling, once on clay and twice and hard courts, and has dropped just one of seven contested sets. Their most recent encounter came last fall in Bangkok, where Djokovic prevailed 6-4, 7-5.
Saturday's clash, of course, will be the first time that Djokovic faces a new and improved Soderling. At 25 years old, Soderling has finally live up to his potential and exploded into ATP prominence. The 11th-ranked Swede upset Rafael Nadal at the French Open on the way to finishing runner-up to Roger Federer, then he advanced to the round of 16 at Wimbledon and the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open (falling to Federer both times). Soderling also captured a title in Bastad during the summer and is coming off a semifinal appearance in Kuala Lumpur. So far this week he has dispatched Jeremy Chardy, Tommy Robredo, and Ivan Ljubicic, losing only a single set to Chardy. Beijing's No. 6 seed came through the quarter of the draw rocked by Andy Roddick's stunning first-round loss to Lukasz Kubot.
Djokovic's 2009 campaign has been equally stellar if not even more impressive than Soderling's; it simply hasn't been as noteworthy since it has not been unexpected. The world No. 4 got off to a slow start as he got accustomed to new rackets, but he is enjoying a torrid second half of the year. Djokovic finished runner-up to Federer at the Masters Series Cincinnati and then reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open, again falling to Federer. Other highlights in 2009 include titles in Dubai and Belgrade and runner-up showings at Masters events in Miami, Monte-Carlo, and Rome. Beijing's No. 2 seed is an outstanding 61-17 this season after victories this week over Victor Hanescu, fellow Serb Viktor Troicki, and fifth-seeded Fernando Verdasco. Like Soderling, Djokovic has also surrendered just one set en route to the semifinals (second set to Verdasco on Friday).
Djokovic normally would have a big mental edge with that 3-0 head-to-head lead heading into Saturday, but Soderling should be able to put it out of his mind knowing that he is a much different player now than he was in any of those three previous encounters. Even if that's the case, Djokovic is the mentally tougher competitor and has to be favored at any critical moments in a close match. Soderling is in fine form and he always has the potential to run over people--even Djokovic--on fast hard courts. But as long as Djokovic can withstand any and all barrages and keep this close, he should be able to pull off a hard-fought victory.
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Ack! Ricky, I'm terrified of you picking in favor of Djokovic! I think that's happened only 17 times this year! :)
stu , 10/9/09 6:40 PM
how many points nole defends in shanghai? shanghai this year is madrid 2008? so he defends 2008 madrid points? i know it has been explained already on some thread but wasn't able to find it.
posmatrac , 10/9/09 6:53 PM
Players defend points based on time of year, not tournament. So, next week, Djokovic (and everyone else) is defending points from whatever tournament he played in the week of October 12-18, 2008. And yes, that happened to be Madrid last year.
Djokovic lost to Karlovic in the third round last year after getting a first-round bye and beating Hanescu in the second round. So he got 150 points. Hence he has very little to defend and it doesnt matter what he does if he beats Soderling on Saturday, he will be No. 3 after Shanghai.
RickyDimon , 10/9/09 7:13 PM
thanks!
posmatrac , 10/9/09 7:15 PM
I'm waiting for those bloody 1000 points from Murray to drop off for couple of months now. I knew that it will be the exact moment of Nole retaking his No 3 spot again! So, you should have asked me about that, Posmatrac!
Alez alez alez alez, No3-leeee, No-leeee...
Ricky kikiriki (which means peanut in Serbian).
Duronole , 10/9/09 11:16 PM
I'd wait to gloat, Duro. Tomorrow we will gloat all we want :)
stu , 10/9/09 11:41 PM
no prob, Duro will do that next time, but our nole defends lot of points in london TMC, so they are gonna bust us if nole fails to do so :)
posmatrac , 10/9/09 11:43 PM
Stu, these 1000 will drop off a day after Shanghai, so even if Nole doesn't make it tomorrow, he will on October the 19th! That with some points earned in Shanghai, which should be inevitable considering his form right now. 61 win this year, may be the only one of the top guys fit and healthy, with rising confidence and form, Tod's Martin influence, I think it won't stop there! No2 in sight! Alez alez alez alez, No3-leee, No-leee...
Posmatrac, he does, but there's Paris and Shanghai to earn some more points, right? He didn't do particularly well last year in Paris, so lets collect some points finally. He gave more than enough this year... About TMC in London, nothing to gain, but if he sells his skin well, he might preserve his No3 spot easily. Anyway, those two guys on the top have very visible expiring date, so who's next to pop in? Alez alez alez alez, No3-leee, No-leee...
Duronole , 10/10/09 12:13 AM
Please stay healthy, Nole..
stu , 10/10/09 3:51 AM
Empty stands, are those ppl nuts? :)
OllyK , 10/10/09 6:12 AM
oh, no, 2nd set problems again....
OllyK , 10/10/09 6:55 AM
this is quite a high quality match...that point where he broke back was BRILLIANT...a few slow backhand slices, and then one tight, short one right under soderling in the middle....amazing!
stu , 10/10/09 7:17 AM
..backhand is working very well today, generally.. :)
OllyK , 10/10/09 7:22 AM
Owned!
stu , 10/10/09 7:33 AM
Noleeeee, welcome back to no3 again!!! :) Veery good performance!!
OllyK , 10/10/09 7:33 AM
well done nole, well done.
posmatrac , 10/10/09 7:33 AM
wooohooo! it was a great match. i actually think he played really well. and its about time he wins a title again! cant wait for tomorrow.
NOLE IS NUMBER 3 AGAIN!!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
mriiidula , 10/10/09 7:41 AM
I was convinced Nole would get the better of Rafa this time, but then I saw the highlights of the Rafa-Safin match! Who can possibly beat THAT guy?!!
stu , 10/10/09 7:54 AM
NOVAK DJOKOVIC, thats who.
mriiidula , 10/10/09 8:00 AM
mriiidula - well said! :D :D :D
I'm optimistic, too...although, I watched highlights - looks scary! :O
Btw, Cilic is breaking...
OllyK , 10/10/09 8:06 AM
i beg to differ. from what i heard, safin played quite a terrible match.
but it might be a moot point coz ooo cilic has taken the first set pretty damn easily. maybe we wont see nadal tomorrow. shame, coz nadal-djokovic matches are highly entertaining.
mriiidula , 10/10/09 8:28 AM
OllyK, Stu, mriiidula, posmatrac, are we happy or not? Aleeez alez alez aleeez, No3-le, No-leeee... Love is in the air... Congrats people!
Duronole , 10/10/09 8:43 AM
CILIC, THATS WHO
RickyDimon , 10/10/09 9:12 AM
Oh, yes we are, duro! :) Congrats to you too. :) Nole the best! <3
Rický, yeah, I just wanted to say that.. What a performance by Cilic!!! He knocked down Nadal! :O
OllyK , 10/10/09 9:23 AM
of course we're happy :)
but i couldnt help but watch the entire second set, and cilic was unbelievable. i honestly think he could give nole some trouble tomorrow. 3 sets, fo sho.
mriiidula , 10/10/09 9:29 AM
Mriiiidula, sure he can give him some trouble. He made a long way from average player to what's he now, but it's less likely. His style is suited to Murray's or Nadal's game, he likes to attack, they like to stay back and defend themselves, but Nole, Nole is something else. Fast, aggressive, in command all the time... For a tall guy it's almost impossible to defend himself unless he attacks, and that's exactly what Nole won't allow to happen. Maybe in three, but I wouldn't be surprised if it goes in two. Noleeeee, Noleeee....
Duronole , 10/10/09 9:57 AM
Robin Söderling
Novak Djokovic
China Open
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a Djokovic win would guarantee that he regains No. 3 in the world no later than October 19
RickyDimon , 10/9/09 6:17 PM