Robin Soderling, elevated for the first time to No. 4 in the world, will head to London as one of the favorites to win the ATP Tour World Finals title after his impressive performance at Bercy on Sunday.
Soderling, twice a losing finalist across town at the French Open, made good on his third attempt to win in Paris by blasting Gael Monfils 6-1, 7-6 to win an ATP Masters Series 1000 title for the first time in his career.
Originally regarded as little more than an indoor player with a big serve, Soderling confounded everyone by beating Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros in 2009 and then confirmed his clay-court pedigree by reaching the final again last June. But here, the tall 26-year-old Swede came home to his roots, making the most of a fast court to hit his way past the likes of Andy Roddick, Stan Wawrinka and, finally, Monfils to take another step forward in his late-blooming career.
"It is really great, you know," said the taciturn Soderling, who has become a little more personable in the past 18 months. "I was extremely nervous before this match. I didn't sleep much at all last night. I am really happy I played my best tennis when it really mattered."
I asked Soderling if ever thought he would turn into the player he has become after a relatively slow start to his career. "I'd like to think so," he said. "I always knew that when I played my best tennis I could beat anybody. But it was a matter of doing it match after match, not only here and there. I don't think I'm a much better player than I was when I was playing my best, but I think I am much better when I'm not at my best. That's the difference."
Monfils admitted he was tired after his amazing comeback against Roger Federer the previous day – saving five match points – but also blamed his preparation for the final.
"I came to the stadium a bit too late and did everything a bit too fast, in a hurry," he said. "It's my fault. I changed my routine slightly this morning, but it's completely my fault."
Earlier in the week, the Frenchman's Australian coach, Roger Rasheed, who earlier had worked with Lleyton Hewitt, said he liked to get Monfils to warm up right before his match so he could keep his concentration locked in: Go straight to the locker room, change and walk on court. Evidently that closely programmed routine slipped out of gear this time.
Still, Monfils surprised everyone here by reaching the final for the second straight year in conditions that were not supposed to suit him. Usually at his best on clay, he was never expected to do so well on a court that was playing much faster than the one last year. So that, in itself, will serve Monfils well. Now he knows he can play on anything.
And one thing that will not change is his determination to enjoy himself, even as he prepares for France's Davis Cup final against Serbia in Belgrade.
"I'll play soccer, that's for sure," he said. "It's thanks to soccer that I started doing sports. Basketball is also part of my life and I will do that. Monfils rarely rests. I don't know about other athletes or other tennis players, but I like sport."
One could say Gael Monfils is his own man.
