Rafael Nadal v Robin Soderling

I couldn't make my mind up pre match so I stayed out the whole of the first set. Soderling taking it 6-4. Rafa just doesn't have the power he used too as is clearly shown in the size of his biceps. I wouldn't of course like to comment on any speculation as to the radical change in his physical stature over the last 18 months! However I think the picture here shows all the evidence you need! :-)

Soderling should probably be a lay at the start of the second but I think he may take this in two so will hang fire for now.

Soderling Wins 6-4 6-4 and I won nothing! But at least I lost nothing either! Onwards and upwards we go....

Draw for London ATP World Tour Finals

The draw for the group stages has been done Click here for link

It was never going to be easy for anyone I guess but this is what it looks like:

Group A: Federer, Murray, Del Potro, Verdasco
Group B: Nadal, Djokovic, Davydenko, Soderling
Alternate Tsonga

I feel that Federer and Murray should go through from Group A. Del Potro struggling with injury and Verdasco not on form. I expect Tsonga to get at least one match from this group. In Group B, I'm going to go against the ranking here as I actually think Davydenko is favourite for this group. Many will note Djokovic's rich vein of form but I don't see it like that I see him playing OK with a very fortunate draw, or his opponents not taking their chances. So I'm going to plump for Davyenko and Soderling.

Friday's Tennis

We started off today with Djokovic v Soderling, which Djokovic has just won 6-4 1-6 6-3. It wasn't a game I had an opinion on so was not bothered that I had to miss it due to work commitments.

But now I am back home and looking at the remaining three matches makes me glad that I am attending a ball this evening. I have just under 4 hours with which to get ready or have a bet.

Next up is Tsonga v Nadal! Tsonga is the favourite @ 1.72 with Nadal @ 2.36. The odds are slightly out in my opinion but not by a lot. I would still have Tsonga shading it as favourite but more like in the high 1.80's. Tsonga needs to get to the final in order to reach London which will be his motivation here. However his performance against Simon troubled me somewhat. Simon was clearly injured from the start, and while some say that has an impact on Tsonga's play, he should have really dispatched him a lot quicker and easier than he did. Nadal may not be in great form at the moment and he does look thinner and wearier every day I see him, but he will put up a lot more resistance than Simon. He is also still in with a shout of year end Number 1.

I will plump for a Tsonga win here but I think it will be 2-1. Therefore if I do decide to get involved it will probably be to lay the first set winner and green up early. This may change in running of course depending on how things develop.

As for the last two matches of the day, I have to be honest and say I really don't have a clue on either. If pushed I would go for Monfils due to the partisan home support and the fact that Cilic hasn't impressed me. In the other match I would have to go for Del Potro. Yes he had the trainer on against Gonzalez, but one reason makes me fancy him.... The year end rankings. He has a really good chance of taking the number 4 spot from Murray, which may only be one place but has enormous repercussions when it comes to draws in tournaments. Number 4 year end will almost certainly mean seeded 4 for the Australian Open in January. What better way to spend your holiday sat on a beach knowing that you are almost guaranteed a semi final berth in the first Major of the new season.

Ivo Karlovic v Robin Soderling

I really fancied Soderling for this and liked the odds when I looked last night. Soderling still has an outside chance of qualifying for the London masters so I think he will want to do well.

Karlovic seems to have been indifferent recently, with his win against Cuevas in the 1st round ending a six match losing streak.

I didn't get in from the start. Instead I got on at 2-2 Karlovic to serve hoping for a break. I probably should have just waited as it's bound to be a Tie break, but you never know!

Wow there's a break! Soderling struggled to hold for 3-3 then breaks for a 3-4* lead.
Bit of a wobble again from Soderling on serve as he saves a break point to hold for a 3*-5 lead. A break and serve 1st in the 2nd would be nice Robin.

Karlovic holds from 0-30 meaning Soderling has to serve out the set. I hope he does it nice and easy unlike most of his other games. I wonder if his elbow is still troubling him?

15-40 Hold Soderling! ... 30-40 Ace please ... Deuce. Soderling just doesn't seem to look natural when playing his shots, it's almost as if he's having to force them all. GP... It says something when Karlovic looks more comfortable in the rallies. Set Soderling.

I am very tempted to get out now. In fact I am! I don't like what I've seen from Soderling in this 1st set so think Ivo may take the second.

£4.12 on Both

Soderling Wins  6-4 7-6(6)
Profit: £4.13