[Ilovetheblues_86]

Ok, I PMed Carlita.
I hope Swetennis to update the other thread, otherwise maybe you could create a new thread, Sodal.

[Carlita]

here we go

[Aaric]

Great idea

[Nolby]

Originally Posted by Etern

Yes it was a brutal loss to handle. When he went up 4-2 in the third I couldn't stand still because I was so excited. But in the end I'm still happy about his tournament and year. If someone told me a year ago that he would lose in the semifinal in the year end championship then I would have been extremely happy about that. I think I'm almost as exhausted as Robin after this season, I need a break to get my energy back for next season


The format is perfect for Davydenko and his workoholic style. I like him and his game but I think it's a good thing that this format isn't used more often since it would feel wrong for someone to win a grand slam mostly on physic. Of course it's a big part of tennis and success in the grand slams (just look at Nadal and Djokovic) but I don't want it to be as important as in the WTF.

I'm trying to remember the last time I felt so depressed after a match. As a fan of Nalby, I've gotten used to some roller coaster losses, but not too many where I felt he was the equal or better player at the end of a tight match and the result wasn't reflective of his performance, but simply of him not yet believing in himself in a tough match against an in form opponent.

Del Pony proved to me during the summer season that he has icewater water in his veins when he beat Roddick 7-6 in the third set at the Legg Mason, defeated Rodick and Rafa again in Montreal in close matches and took the U.S. Open against Fed when he seemed down and out. This quality of winning tight matches when your opponent is playing at a really high level too appears to me to be the final step one needs to make to become a top 5 players. Robin is sitting on the edge of that capability right now, but still lacks the killer instinct when his foe is also bringing their "A" game. That is the one last step he needs to make. Noone blows a healthy or even slightly injured Robin away anymore. Noone must look forward to a match with him based on his results the past 8 months.

He ended the year 49-21, remarkable when you realize he began the year with a 9-10 record. That means he went 40-11 from May through the end of the year. The significant losses since the French Open Final:

L Roger Federer 4th Round, Wimbledon 4-6, 6-7(5), 6-7(5)
L Lleyton Hewitt, Cincinnatti Maters, 6-3, 6-7(8), 4-6
L Roger Federer, U.S. Open 0-6, 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-7(6)
L Nikolay Davydenko, Kuala Lampur 6-1, 6-7(1), 2-6
L Novak Djokoic, Beijing ATP500 L 3-6, 3-6
L Feliciano Lopez, Shanghai Masters 6-7(4), 3-6
L Marcos Baghdatis, SF, Stockholm Open, W/O
L Novak Djokovic, Paris Masters, 4-6, 6-1, 3-6
L Nickolay Davydenko, RR, London WTF 6-7(4), 6-4, 3-6
L Juan-Martin Del Potro, SF, London WTF 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-7(3)

Other than those 2 losses in bold and the withdrawal at the Stockholm Open which was during the period where his elbow was severely injured, Robin's performances in defeat we're against top ranked players, and he took them to their limits before losing. Every single one of those matches could have gone his way if he had come through on a few crucial points. This is great news, but rather frustrating as a fan. As well as he did this year, he was even closer to making a major breakthrough than we realize when examing these results.

So when he broke Del Pony at 4-2 in the third set, I was feeling high as a kite at the time; I expected him to close it out and could just taste the feelings of redemption for him making it to the Final. The fact that he had a loose service game right afterwards would seem to suggest he still needs to work on mental toughness in the biggest matches. But many people were predicting that Del Pony would wipe him out, and that clearly didn't happen. Nor for that matter, does any player beat him decisively anymore, including Fed. Remember Robin was a point away from a 5th set at the U.S. Open, another tough loss, and was only broken once in Fed's 6-4, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) victory over him at Wimbledon.

I believe the more matches he plays against the top players, the more likely he is to get over this mental blockage. Even when he defeated Nole 7-6 (5), 6-1, it is hard to ignore the fact he had three break points at 5-4 on Nole's serve and played a horrible game afterwards to lose his set points. It's just a matter of gaining some self-belief, but as a fan it is difficult to watch him outplaying the best in the world, and then playing tight when the finishing line is in sight. He is soooo close to making some major breakthroughs. Next season should be fascinating and the big question will be this: if Robin is playing a Fed, Nole or Del Pony in the last set of a tight match, and breaks to go ahead, will he be able to close out the match. If he starts doing that, we should have a great year as fans. If not, we may have to endure some more "should've won" losses which are hard to stomach. But the ATP has taken note: this guy is for real and is a mental belief away from contending for major titles. If he could just beat Fed, Nole or Del Pony 7-6 in the third set once, maybe that is all it would take.

[Nolby]

Originally Posted by Ilovetheblues_86

Ok, I PMed Carlita.
I hope Swetennis to update the other thread, otherwise maybe you could create a new thread, Sodal.

Thanks for getting this done, Saulo and Carlita! I'll keep in touch with SweTennis and we'll have the Live Score thread ready on 12/31 for the Capitala World Tennis Championship. That's the one where Soderking plays in the big opening year tourney in Dubai that invites only 6 of the top player (5 in the top 10 including Fed, Nadal, Kolya, Soderking, Tsonga and Wawrinka) on tour. The shock loss of that last match has worn off, it is time to see the unbelievable positives in a run way beyond our wildest expectations. Who would've believed he would be ranked 8th and playing in events like the World Tennis Championshps to open his year with Rafa and Fed a year ago.

[*Ljubica*]

Originally Posted by Sodal

Thanks, Rose. Our issue has always been that the "soderling" original thread starter stopped posting in 2005 (and is in red for some reason; says a lot about soderking fan struggles ). So we have to send a PM to change this thread title. So we will probably just go with "Soderking Chat Thread vol.1" and leave it at that. Our other threads are within our control.

I see Carlita has done well But if we wanted to avoid bothering her all the time, you could always start a brand new Chat Thread with the same name and ask her to lock/close this one That way it would all be in our control and Admins wouldn't need to be bothered.

[Ilovetheblues_86]

Yeah, probably the best would be to open a new chat thread and lock the old one, I agree. Then all control would be by ative users.

[SweTennis]

Sure, I can do that, only if you say me how to write the first time :P. But not expect me to do it all the time (maybe I'm away or don't have time sometimes), but I don't think that's a problem.

[Nolby]

Originally Posted by Ilovetheblues_86

Yeah, probably the best would be to open a new chat thread and lock the old one, I agree. Then all control would be by ative users.

Yea, I see the point of it. It's just that this thread has been around so long and has such a rich history. You can go through it and see his slow rise to attention, the controversial years, the years in between Wimbledon 2007 when he started to become a Top 20 player, the breakthrough season of 2009 and finally the beginning of a diverse fan following. Anyway, we could lock it up and keep it saved for historical enjoyment. I just kind of have a soft spot in my heart for it. So many people have come and gone and it tells the story of his career.

[Nolby]

Originally Posted by SweTennis

Sure, I can do that, only if you say me how to write the first time :P. But not expect me to do it all the time (maybe I'm away or don't have time sometimes), but I don't think that's a problem.

Okie doke, since it was your inspiration right before the match, you get the honors. What you do to change the thread title is Edit your first post, click the "Advanced" button, and then your Title will be listed in an Editable box at the top.

If you're away or busy, it should be easy for one of us to start a second Live Scoring thread or just post in the old one until you get back. Thanks, that was a good idea on your part.

I'm glad to see the petition is getting much support since I signed it. My signature is far down the list since you posted.

[duong]

Hi everybody and congratulations for the new "message board" (I must say that I've been always shocked every time I go on "Czech forum" because Stepanek doesn't have one , and not many people going in his thread actually : if anybody could also do something about it )

I'm not especially Söderling's fan to say the truth

but I've been Jenni Moström's fan ever since I first saw her during Lyon tournament in 2008.

She looks really great

And I think she's taken a huge part in Robin's improvement (together with Magnus Norman probably) : I remember in Lyon when he got very angry with himself, she was smiling and laughing with a friend, supporting him very cheerfully and also a little bit laughing at him but very nicely. For sure it may have been very good for him to cool down as he needed.

And now here we are

I mean, I don't know but it's possible, and personally I've really "loved" her from that moment (no problem I'm married and love my wife more than any woman ).

Prettier and looking more charming and pleasant than any other player's girlfriend I saw.

Recently I've seen she's got slimmer : maybe it makes her more elegant and prettier for some, even though personally I thought she was more charming before, but then that's his/her choice

I read someone saying that she was taking a "bar exam", is it a kind of "law exam" ?

Anyway what I wanted to say is that I think it might be a good idea to make a thread about Robin and Jenni's couple with some photos and news.

At least what I can say is that I would surely be interested in reading it

[Ilovetheblues_86]

Originally Posted by duong

...

Hey duong.
There´s no doubt Jenni has a significant paper in Söderling improvement. Big support.
And I admire her a lot to. Until now I believe as Robin girlfriend she has done everything alright.

I reckon a Jenni´s thread would get a lot of nice pics. In my opinion you can create it, if you want it.

[duong]

Originally Posted by Ilovetheblues_86

I reckon a Jenni´s thread would get a lot of nice pics. In my opinion you can create it, if you want it.

I don't really have photos like some of you to say the truth

Also to be precise, I don't think it should necessarily be a "Jenni" thread but rather about their couple (like the thread "Mirka and Roger's love affair" in Federer's forum) ... probably with some Jenni's alone photos probably

[Nolby]

Originally Posted by duong

I don't really have photos like some of you to say the truth

Also to be precise, I don't think it should necessarily be a "Jenni" thread but rather about their couple (like the thread "Mirka and Roger's love affair" in Federer's forum) ... probably with some Jenni's alone photos probably

Hi duong,

I posted a funny in the 1rst ACC thread about the 2nd round match-up between you and GOATPARERA ("two players with distinctly different styles, strengths, games and tastes" ). We've had the pleasure of discourse in GM when I was ShamWoW! I did a name change request when I decided to post seriously on the MTF.

I am a HUGE Jenni fan, and I must have 50 photos of her alone and with Robin. I was waiting for the right time to post them, and was thinking I would post them in the Robin photo thread.

Now I like your idea of the "Mirka and Roger" concept with these two. I am praying they stay together, and it is of course possible that they may get married pretty soon. Now one big reason why this could be a good thread on it's own is that Jenni takes a ton of photos of herself, things that amuse her, Robin alone, herself and Robin, and she actively posts them on Twitpic and used to do a blog. So there is always new material.

If you like, I could start a Robin and Jenni thread tomorrow and put up some great pics just of Jenni to start things out. It could have many posts because I've followed Jenni on twitter since June and she is fetching to say the least. Add to that she is also a brainy girlfriend, and how can you not like Robin Soderling? He chooses an independent intelligent woman whereas the majority of the rest (Fed excluded; he is similar to Robin in this instance) choose supermodels or women that are not challenging mentally. I have read a Eurosport reporter's view on the brainiest players on tour, and their view is that Nole and Sod top the list. Both are fluent in multiple languages and both enjoy reading difficult novels and literature and I kow Robin loves his laptop.

Yes, Jenni is studying and tweets about how stressful it has been to be doing this and following Robin at the same time. Many photos show her at a library in a venue area that Robin is playing in, and I read somewhere (this is unconfirmed) that she is studying for her bar exam. This would make sense, because obviously she would have a hard time going to an Undergraduate or Graduate school while flying all over the world to see him play. If I get confirmation on her studies, I'll update the thread and let everyone know.

[duong]

Originally Posted by Sodal

Add to that she is also a brainy girlfriend, and how can you not like Robin Soderling? He chooses an independent intelligent woman

yes absolutely

I often get a very good prejudice at men (not only tennismen) when they are married or together with a woman like that : I usually think that they must have something (more to seduce them than the opposite actually, but also the opposite you're right).

And you're right : Söderling raised a lot in my esteem when I saw her.

And now you (and others) tell me that she's independent, intelligent, nice and so on ... everything I had suspected from her attitude in Lyon actually

I'm quite reassured about my instinction

Originally Posted by Sodal

If you like, I could start a Robin and Jenni thread tomorrow and put up some great pics just of Jenni to start things out. It could have many posts because I've followed Jenni on twitter since June and she is fetching to say the least.

That's great ( for you) ( for the idea and for her)

Originally Posted by Sodal

Yes, Jenni is studying and tweets about how stressful it has been to be doing this and following Robin at the same time. Many photos show her at a library in a venue area that Robin is playing in, and I read somewhere (this is unconfirmed) that she is studying for her bar exam. This would make sense, because obviously she would have a hard time going to an Undergraduate or Graduate school while flying all over the world to see him play. If I get confirmation on her studies, I'll update the thread and let everyone know.

yes now I know what that is

I think it's also very nice to know that, even if we don't have to know everything, they are allowed for some privacy (actually I had the impression that she didn't like to be too much seen at a moment for a while : for instance you could see her in the semifinal in Lyon, not in the final ... and then we didn't see her too often during matches ... until that ATP WTF : I think now she has realized that she has to deal with it anyway but it seems that she's very much amused at looking at her in the screen )

Originally Posted by Sodal

I posted a funny in the 1rst ACC thread about the 2nd round match-up between you and GOATPARERA ("two players with distinctly different styles, strengths, games and tastes" ).

Actually I like GoatParera, I don't know why he was suspected quite quickly of double account, being a Nadal fan like RafawonUSOpen, whereas if you read him/her, it's quite often intelligent and more a fan of Federer's

I didn't know I had taken part in that competition

Originally Posted by Sodal

We've had the pleasure of discourse in GM when I was ShamWoW! I did a name change request when I decided to post seriously on the MTF.

Ah yes I remember this pseudo

Originally Posted by Sodal

I have read a Eurosport reporter's view on the brainiest players on tour, and their view is that Nole and Sod top the list. Both are fluent in multiple languages and both enjoy reading difficult novels and literature and I kow Robin loves his laptop.

Yes Nole looks clever indeed, I didn't know for Söderling except that he has such a lovely girlfriend that he must not be bad indeed