Gasquet battu par Soderling
Le Français Richard Gasquet, tête de série N.2 de l'Open 13 de Marseille, a été éliminé ce soir par le Suédois Robin Soderling en trois manches, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Septième à l'ATP, Gasquet avait déjà échoué à Marseille en 2007 face au même adversaire, en quarts-de-finale (6-1, 7-6). Soderling, aujourd'hui classé 52e à l'ATP, se qualifie de nouveau pour les quarts-de-finale de l'Open 13 où il affrontera le Croate Mario Ancic, 135e joueur mondial mais ancien membre du cercle fermé des 10 meilleurs joueurs du monde en 2006.
Alors que le Français avait bien débuté la partie (6-4), il a laissé revenir le Suédois dans la deuxième manche (6-3). Régulier au service et puissant dans l'échange, Soderling a ensuite pris le match en mains, énervant par sa constance le Français qui a multiplié les gestes d'impatience en toute fin de set.
La troisième manche n'a plus été qu'une formalité pour le Suédois qui a mené 5-1 avant de finalement l'empocher sur le score sans appel de 6-2.
Finalement,Mario Ancic franchira l'obstacle Robin Soderling en quarts de finale de l'Open 13 de Marseille (6/3 6/7 6/2).
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There was disappointment for the home crowd as second seed Gasquet went out after losing 6-4 3-6 2-6 to Robin Soderling of Sweden.
Gasquet was looking to avenge a quarter-final loss to the Swede in Marseille last season but after taking the opening set, he was unable to cope with the blistering serve of Soderling, who blasted a total of 19 aces in the match.
Soderling will next face Croatian wild card Mario Ancic, who downed Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3 6-2 on Thursday, a day after his upset win over Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the opening round.
This all-unseeded matchup between Mario Ancic and Robin Söderling in the quarterfinals of the Open 13 features two injury-plagued players who are making their returns to the ATP Tour following relatively extensive absences.
Two surprise quarterfinalists will do battle on Friday afternoon in Marseille when Mario Ancic faces off with Robin Söderling. Despite having played just two matches each this week, it has already been a successful comeback for both players regardless of what happens in this unexpected but highly-anticipated showdown.
Ancic, who is down to No. 135 in the world after once being ranked all the way up at No. 7, had not played in 2008 prior to the Open 13 due to nagging shoulder and back injuries. But it's clear after just two matches that the 6'5'' Croat is more than ready to come back. In the first round he stunned seventh-seeded and Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6, 7-6(3) and then crushed qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-2 in the second. When his shoulder is healthy Ancic possesses one of the strongest serves in tennis, and that has been on full display so far in Marseille.
Before this week, Soderling had not played since last August at the Masters Series Canada, where he retired in his first-round match against Marat Safin. The Swede was ranked 26th in the world when a wrist injury forced him out of tennis, but the missed time has dropped him to his current position of No. 52. Now that Söderling is healthy, however, it is not hard to see that he has the potential to get back where he belongs. He defeated Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 in the first round and on Thursday upset second-seeded Richard Gasquet 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals. Highlights for Söderling in 2007 before his injury included semifinal appearances in Doha, Marseille, and Dubai, a quarterfinal run at the Masters Series Monte Carlo, and a berth in the third round at Wimbledon, where he put up a great fight against Rafael Nadal before losing 7-5 in the fifth.
This is the first-ever meeting between Ancic and Soderling and it should be one in which breaks of serve are few and far between. The 6'3'' Swede has fired 33 aces past his opponents in two matches at the Open 13, while the 6'5'' Croat is still yet to lose serve after two contests. Ancic could have a very slight edge in this contest, as his serve is just a bit bigger than Söderling's and his wins this week have been just a little bit more impressive.
Ancic-Soderling 6/3 6/7 6/2
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För Robin blev det en succécomeback efter 6 månader utan en hel match. Den skadade handleden verkar nu hålla och under skadeuppehållet har Robin utvecklat sin fysik och trots allt kunnat spela tennis men utan att kunna slå tvåhandsbackhand.
I Marseilles kvartsfinal vann Mario Ancic, även han skade- och sjukdomsförföljd, i tre set. Inte mycket att säga om. Kroaten gjorde 25 serveäss och vi gratulerar honom och coachen Fidde Rosengren.
Robin tappar lite poäng mot ifjol då han var i semifinal i Marseille men hans 52:a plats på ATP-rankingen har alla möjligheter att bli bättre. Förutom en semifinal I Dubai och en kvartsfinal i Monte Carlo finns inga riktigt stora resultat att försvara under våren, och efter Båstad har han fem månader kvar av tennisåret där varje vunnen match är bonus in på "kontot". Något säger mig att hans karriärs högsta ranking på 23, ryker under 2008
Le Français Richard Gasquet, tête de série N.2 de l'Open 13 de Marseille, a été éliminé ce soir par le Suédois Robin Soderling en trois manches, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Septième à l'ATP, Gasquet avait déjà échoué à Marseille en 2007 face au même adversaire, en quarts-de-finale (6-1, 7-6). Soderling, aujourd'hui classé 52e à l'ATP, se qualifie de nouveau pour les quarts-de-finale de l'Open 13 où il affrontera le Croate Mario Ancic, 135e joueur mondial mais ancien membre du cercle fermé des 10 meilleurs joueurs du monde en 2006.
Alors que le Français avait bien débuté la partie (6-4), il a laissé revenir le Suédois dans la deuxième manche (6-3). Régulier au service et puissant dans l'échange, Soderling a ensuite pris le match en mains, énervant par sa constance le Français qui a multiplié les gestes d'impatience en toute fin de set.
La troisième manche n'a plus été qu'une formalité pour le Suédois qui a mené 5-1 avant de finalement l'empocher sur le score sans appel de 6-2.
Finalement,Mario Ancic franchira l'obstacle Robin Soderling en quarts de finale de l'Open 13 de Marseille (6/3 6/7 6/2).
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There was disappointment for the home crowd as second seed Gasquet went out after losing 6-4 3-6 2-6 to Robin Soderling of Sweden.
Gasquet was looking to avenge a quarter-final loss to the Swede in Marseille last season but after taking the opening set, he was unable to cope with the blistering serve of Soderling, who blasted a total of 19 aces in the match.
Soderling will next face Croatian wild card Mario Ancic, who downed Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3 6-2 on Thursday, a day after his upset win over Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the opening round.
This all-unseeded matchup between Mario Ancic and Robin Söderling in the quarterfinals of the Open 13 features two injury-plagued players who are making their returns to the ATP Tour following relatively extensive absences.
Two surprise quarterfinalists will do battle on Friday afternoon in Marseille when Mario Ancic faces off with Robin Söderling. Despite having played just two matches each this week, it has already been a successful comeback for both players regardless of what happens in this unexpected but highly-anticipated showdown.
Ancic, who is down to No. 135 in the world after once being ranked all the way up at No. 7, had not played in 2008 prior to the Open 13 due to nagging shoulder and back injuries. But it's clear after just two matches that the 6'5'' Croat is more than ready to come back. In the first round he stunned seventh-seeded and Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6, 7-6(3) and then crushed qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-2 in the second. When his shoulder is healthy Ancic possesses one of the strongest serves in tennis, and that has been on full display so far in Marseille.
Before this week, Soderling had not played since last August at the Masters Series Canada, where he retired in his first-round match against Marat Safin. The Swede was ranked 26th in the world when a wrist injury forced him out of tennis, but the missed time has dropped him to his current position of No. 52. Now that Söderling is healthy, however, it is not hard to see that he has the potential to get back where he belongs. He defeated Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 in the first round and on Thursday upset second-seeded Richard Gasquet 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals. Highlights for Söderling in 2007 before his injury included semifinal appearances in Doha, Marseille, and Dubai, a quarterfinal run at the Masters Series Monte Carlo, and a berth in the third round at Wimbledon, where he put up a great fight against Rafael Nadal before losing 7-5 in the fifth.
This is the first-ever meeting between Ancic and Soderling and it should be one in which breaks of serve are few and far between. The 6'3'' Swede has fired 33 aces past his opponents in two matches at the Open 13, while the 6'5'' Croat is still yet to lose serve after two contests. Ancic could have a very slight edge in this contest, as his serve is just a bit bigger than Söderling's and his wins this week have been just a little bit more impressive.
Ancic-Soderling 6/3 6/7 6/2
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För Robin blev det en succécomeback efter 6 månader utan en hel match. Den skadade handleden verkar nu hålla och under skadeuppehållet har Robin utvecklat sin fysik och trots allt kunnat spela tennis men utan att kunna slå tvåhandsbackhand.
I Marseilles kvartsfinal vann Mario Ancic, även han skade- och sjukdomsförföljd, i tre set. Inte mycket att säga om. Kroaten gjorde 25 serveäss och vi gratulerar honom och coachen Fidde Rosengren.
Robin tappar lite poäng mot ifjol då han var i semifinal i Marseille men hans 52:a plats på ATP-rankingen har alla möjligheter att bli bättre. Förutom en semifinal I Dubai och en kvartsfinal i Monte Carlo finns inga riktigt stora resultat att försvara under våren, och efter Båstad har han fem månader kvar av tennisåret där varje vunnen match är bonus in på "kontot". Något säger mig att hans karriärs högsta ranking på 23, ryker under 2008