Much as I like Gonzo, there were two very strong reasons I was backing Soderling to come through the first semi.
-- Gonzo has been to a Slam final and come unstuck against Federer before. Yes I know he was tired out in 2007, and that Federer was on specially stellar form during that period, but it's not just me that doesn't generally rate Gonzo's chances very highly against Federer - his game seems to match up too well. Given the gravity of what may be achieved at this event, we needed someone in the final that would really make Roger earn his way into the history books.
"Soderling's been playing out of his skin..."And that, I'm afraid means asterisks against the name of any eventual winner, history books or no history books.
If I had it my way, Federer would have to go through Nadal to win the only Slam that eludes him. Preferably over five brutal sets in a final lasting five hours.
But sport, and life in general, has a funny habit of disappointing us like that. If I can't have a Rafa-Roger final, I want to see nothing less than Roger Federer taking on Rafa's conqueror in a best of five set match with both men playing at the peak of their powers. History demands it because history's on the line.
And a hard earnt win might just cause the GOAT cynics to make a little less of that asterisk.
It doesn't disappear of course, especially if Robin comes out on Sunday and plays a complete stinker. But I've no reason to suppose that that will happen.
Dude's played out of so many layers of skin, he may enter Chatrier on Sunday looking like a sinewy mass of skeletal muscle, usually found on the last two pages of your high school textbook on Human Biology.
***
Special mention to Del Potro who's gone from being a player I didn't like very much to being one of the shining stars of this event IMO. I've found my dislike for his style of play gradually receding ever since the clay court season began actually, with the way he took to the surface which isn't after all one he's at all comfortable on (Yes not all South Americans are born "gifted and able" on the red stuff).
You can sometimes forget that the guy has only recently turned 20, and although he strolls around very slowly between points, his concentration and focus are a class above the Andy Murray of a couple of years ago.
And today he showed us the extent of his mental development with the way he took Federer to five sets - a considerable achievement given that he'd yet to bag a set in either of their previous five meetings (The double bagel Roger inflicted on him at Melbourne this year will likely remain forever inscribed on his soul). It would have been so easy and so predictable, given that record, to roll over the way Monfils did a round earlier. The serving in particular was something special, and stands him in good stead in the upcoming grass court season.
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