Top seed Robin Soderling might have needed 13 rounds to beat the game’s greatest Roger Federer, but he’s determined to give the knockout punch in his very first attempt at the 2010 Chennai Open.

By Bhagya L Ayyavoo

It’s never easy to win against Roger Federer. The Swiss ace has an incredible head-to-head against Andy Roddick (18-2) and Lleyton Hewitt (16-5). The new member of the elite group is the top seed at the Aircel Chennai Open tournament - Robin Soderling. Beating Federer is never easy admits the Swede and explains how he finally cracked the code to beat the best, “Roger is world’s best player of all times. It’s never easy to beat him. We have played a lot of good matches and lot of close matches. May be a few of them were lost as I was a bit unlucky. From every match we played I learned something. Losing 12 times in-a-row, I must have learnt something. I played well, that’s what you have to do. You have to play your best against him.” Soderling shocked the world No.1 in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi last week.

Now in Chennai, Soderling has already shed his shyness. The world No.8 has sounded the warning to all those who are eyeing the singles trophy in his presence. “I have played a few good matches. I have been practicing hard during the off season. I feel good and my form is very good. I think I am going to do well.”

Many top players who had graced the venue in the past failed in their first few attempts. Topping that list is none other than former world No.1 Rafael Nadal. In three attempts, the world No.2 Nadal who bagged the doubles crown in his debut year in 2004 came very close to the singles title in 2008, where he lost to Xavier Malisse in the final. In 2007, the Spaniard was stopped by eventual champion Mikhail Youzhny in the semifinal. In 2004, he was knocked out in the opening round. Fellow Mallorcan Carlos Moya who won the crown in 2004 and 2005 and made the final in 2006 suffered a similar fate in his debut year. Moya who first visited Chennai in April 1999 after being crowned world No.1 fell to Chennai Open regular, Rainer Schuettler. Last year, top seed Nikolay Davydenko pulled out ahead of the first round. 

Soderling is quite aware of the Chennai upsets, thanks to his coach Magnus Norman. Norman was the top seed at the 2001 edition of India’s only ATP tournament. The Swede’s confidence reflected when he said he’s ready to break that jinx when he debuts against American Robby Ginepri on Tuesday, “Of course, it is tough for anybody to start the year having not played matches for quite some time. That may explain the upsets that’s been here. I think I have got the best possible preparation for this season, playing matches against the world’s best. I couldn’t have asked for anything else. I had three good matches against some really good players. So, I am really feeling good coming into this tournament and the whole season.”

Last season’s giant-killer admitted Chennai was his personal choice for 2010,
“I tried everything. I played in Doha, Australia. But this time I chose Chennai. So, far it looks like a very nice tournament.”

A complete foreigner to Chennai’s heat, the top Swede is pleased with the weather, “I thought it was going to be a little bit warmer, may be it won’t be during this week. It’s a nice tournament. It’s different country to where I come from. It’s a lot colder there. But, so far I like it here.”

In other big Day 2 match-ups, Somdev Devvarman will open against veteran Rainer Schuettler. Third-seeded Swiss No.2 Stanislas Wawrinka will have to deal with some big serves and another home favourite Rohan Bopanna. Qualifier Prakash Amritraj will play Michael Russell of USA. And fifth-seeded Dudi Sela will start his campaign against Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.