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This has to be Federer turn to win the French. Another 5 setter, another comeback. Del Potro won the first and third set, and looked much better, or at least much more solid and consistent then Federer for most of the match. Federer just couldn’t break the giant Argentinian, conceding ace after ace and having to work very hard to win his serving games. He won the second set on a tie break, moving to 12-4 in tie breaks this season.

Leading 2-1 in the fourth set with Del Potro serving, suddenly everything clicked and Federer finally broke Del Potro’s serve. He went on to win the set 6-1 and the fifth 6-4, with Del Potro looking shaken up and pretty much in disarray since Federer first broke him. Up until that point Roger misfired with his racket all over the place, missing easy shot after easy shot, but after a close-to-the-net rally point he lost the World no. 2 slapped himself in the head and seemed to slowly regain his form.

Roger Federer remained unbeaten in his career versus Del Potro, improving his record against him to 6-0. Del Potro is only 20 and showed he will be a force to be reckoned with in the following years but today, and maybe this tournament is about Federer and about the pieces finally falling into place  –  Nadal being beaten by Soderling, maybe clearing the way for Federer’s first Roland Garros title, completing a personal career grand slam and tying Sampras’ 14 grand slam titles, with Wimbledon and the US Open ahead of us, Federer’s two favorite Slams.

Robin Soderling is the man in Fed’s way. Soderling seems to come out of nowhere in this tournament, upsetting Nadal and seems to be getting better and better as he progresses. In the earlier Semi he beat Chilean Fernando Gonzalez in 5 sets after dropping a 2-0 lead only to vindicate himself in the final set. Can Roger finally get the clay monkey of his back or will Soderling beat Federer for the first time in his career (0-9 so far) and become the first Swede to win the Roland Garros since Wilander in 1988? My money is on Fed.