Soderling claims Paris Masters title

Fourth seeded Robin Soderling defeats Gael Monfils in straight-sets 6-1, 7-6 in season-ending ATP World Tour Finals.

PARIS: Robin Soderling signalled his intentions for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals when he claimed his maiden Masters title with a clinical 6-1, 7-6 defeat of Gael Monfils in Paris.

Fourth-seed Soderling was simply too good for Monfils and wrapped up a straightforward victory by taking the second-set tie-break 7-1. His blend of raw power and pace proved too much to handle for the Frenchman, who never discovered the touch that helped him to knock out Roger Federer on Saturday.

Soderling showed no weaknesses throughout the 77-minute encounter on the fast indoor court as he picked up his sixth ATP title. Monfils handed Soderling a break in the fourth game when he fluffed a routine volley and the Swede followed up on serve to open a 4-1 lead.

He kept the pressure on Monfils and snatched the Frenchman’s serve again with a superb crosscourt passing shot before bagging the opening set with a forehand winner after 26 minutes. Soderling did not face a single break-point in the one-sided contest.

Monfils, however, resisted well in the second set as Soderling’s first serve percentage dropped, but the Swede timely got his act together in the tie-break to finish it off at the net.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2010.