Live Commentary

COMEBACK KING....!

Juan Martin Del Potro won his fourth three-set thriller of the championship, this time, to beat Swede Robin Soderling, to reach the finals of the 2009 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Del Potro lost the opening set in a tie-break but came back to win the next two with increased confidence and determination to reach the season ending championships final.

Amidst a few more unforced errors, Del Potro pushes the match into a deciding tie-break with his 'do-or-die' service hold in a two hour plus match.

At 30-30, Del Potro makes an unforced error despite having an advantage off Soderling's two double faults, and the Swede regroups himself to win his last service game of the match.

Del Potro makes no mistakes this time and grabs a quick service game for a final set square off. The match will most probably be decided by a tie-break now.

Soderling stormed into the headlines when he tamed Clay King Rafael Nadal on the red clay of Roland Garros.

Soderling avoids any more drama in the decider to hold a love service game to race to a 5-4 lead in the match. The pressure is entirely on Del Potro now as he will serve to stay in the championship.

Soderling responds to Del Potro's break back with two swashbuckling return winners or a 0-30 lead, however, Del Potro refuses to give the Swede any more chances and hits a beautiful ace to hold serve and square off the set at 4-4.

Del Potro held his nerves well and regrouped in nick of time to win the second round match against Russian Marat Safin at the Paris Masters this year.

Del Potro strikes back...! The Argentine comes up with some blistering returns of serve to get the break right back to keep the title hopes alive.

At Deuce, Soderling hits a delightful backhand return winner and gets the first break point of the decider to break Del Potro for a formidable 4-2 lead.

Soderling engages himself in a couple of rallies but manages to win the points this time, to keep the decider on serve.

In one of his title runs this year, Del Potro overcame a first set deficit against Andy Roddick to win Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington. 

Del Potro delights the crowd and fans world over with come astonishing court coverage to win a marvellous service game.

Soderling starts building pressure o Del Potro with corner-to-corner shot-making to extract as much errors as possible. Another sercive winner gives the Swede a hold for a 2-1 lead in the decider.

In another classic, Del Potro overwhelmed Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the quarterfinal match of 2009 Rogers Cup.

Del Potro comes right behind his Swedish opponent with a love service game of his own.

On his way to win the Catella Swedish Open, Robin Soderling registered an impressive win in straight sets over Nicolas Almagro .

Soderling makes a fresh start to the third set with yet another quick service hold. Will Soderling be able to stop the Argentine from making the final?

MATCH LEVELLED....!

Juan Martin Del Potro makes a remarkable comeback into the match with high quality tennis on key points to grab a decisive break in the eighth game to serve out the set 6 games to 3.

Soderling starts the game with back-to-back aces but sees Del Potro gets advantage of the next long rally by thwacking a backhand winner. An unforced error squares off the game at 30-30, but the big serve, 14th in the match, again comes to the rescue. Del Potro though strikes harder than ever and hits some astonishing forehands to grab a vital break of serve.

Earlier in a absolute thriller this year Del Potro stunned Rafael Nadal in Miami Quarterfinals and stopped his winning march towards the Sony Ericsson Open title. 

Del Potro, still upset from the misswed opportunity in the last game, translates hi anger in some powerful service winners to stay ahead in the second set at 4-3.

Soderling loses the opening point when an ambitious backhand down the line hits the net, but hits a couple fo service winners to again get in the groove. At 30-30, Del Potro strikes a beautiful return winner to get a break point, but Soderling hits back-to-back aces to come out on top again.

A couple of unforced errors from Robin Soderling give Del Potro a lead in the game and the Argentine quickly consolidates it with a hold.

Robin Soderling posted a courageous battle against Roger Federer in the quarterfinals at the U.S Open but failed to upset him.  

Another comfortable service hold squares off the score at 2-2. It's amazing how both players are letting each other win their service games so easily, without any scope of rallies.

Both players keep the rallies short and service games shorter to keep the set on level terms. The Argentine comes up with an ace, following a few more service winners.

Soderling looks solid as ever with his well-placed serves and smouldering forehand winners to keep the momentum in his favour.

Juan Martin del Potro stunned five time defending champion Roger Federer to win this  years U.S Open title. It was Argentine's first career grand slam triumph.

Del Potro puts the bad memories of the opening set behind and wins a love service game to open the second set.

An Amazing start...!

Swede Robin Soderling got the best possible start to his semifinal match with an opening set in hand after a dominating tie-break. Soderling gallantly saved break points on several occasions before sealing the deal in the tie-break in 47 minutes of play.

Del Potro's win over Fernando Verdasco in the second Round Robin match of Group A turned out to be a crucial one with the Argentine making the cut with a mere percentage difference against close rival Andy Murray.

Del Potro finally pushes the set to a deciding tie-break with with a comparatively tough service hold.

At 30-30 Soderling thwacks an out wide serve and follows up with an extremely angled forehand put away as nothing, it seems is enough for Del Potro. A service hold eventually gives the Swede a 6-5 lead in the set.

Soderling comes up with a couple of big forehand winners to clear his intentions about the match today, del potro however, doesn't lose focus and grabs anothjer quick service game.

Both players waste little time in winning their own service games to fast approach the tie-break finish of the opener.

Del Potro finds his rhythm in the match with a quick love service game. Del Potro can very well finish the year at No.4 in the world if he wins the tournament.

Soderling continued his thrilling form with another straight sets victory over defending champion Novak Djokovic.

Another challenge on a wrong call gives Soderling the point and a lead in the game. A short rally ends in DelPotro's forehand error that helps the Swede hold his serve by hitting a big Ace.

Del Potro's ability to hit shots to any conceivable angle makes him such a magnificient hitter in the game. A quick service game levels the opening set at 3-3

Soderling made a dream start to his maiden season-ending title campaign with a straight sets demolition of former world number one Rafael Nadal.

Down 15-30, Soderling hits a beautiful outwide serve for a simple put away, but sees Del Potro mak simple things complex with his huge FOREHAND to get another break point. Akthough a few more service winners get the Swede a hold and a 3-2 lead.

Amidst long rallies, Del Potro hits a sensational forehand crosscourt winner and follows with an equally blistering serve to hold his own serve and square off the score at 2-2.

Del Potro races to a triple break point situation in the game before Soderling bounces back with some heavy-hitting to safely move ahead on serve.

Juan Martin Del Potro came into the semifinals with a blockbuster win over world number one Roger Federer in three closely fought sets.

Del Potro, who is appearing in the second season-ending championships of his career, faces some resistance early on from the Swede but manages to safely hold serve.

Soderling makes a solid start to the match and wins a love service game in just under one minute of play.

2009 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals SF
Juan Martin Del Potro vs. Robin Soderling
Head-to-Head
Series tied at 1-1
Last Meeting - Auckland SF
Del Potro won 6-4, 6-3

U.S. Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro's emphatic win over Roger Federer proved that the man is capable of pulling out a win over anybody in the circuit. The only trouble seems to be the Argentine's approach towards closing the matches. We have seen him blow away considerable leads in the past and that might work against him in front of someone, who is enjoying the best form of his life. Robin Soderling toppled both Nadal and Djokovic in straight sets to reach the semifinal and there is a possibility that he might stop Del Potro's run at the event too. Both players rely on their groundstrokes to a huge extent. Although Del Potro's net coverage due to a 6'6'' frame might give him a slight edge as both players like coming forward to finish the point. This match, again, is bound to end with a three set scoreline.