The Rafael Nadal vs Robin Soderling match of the French Open quarter-finals are known for one main reason: Soderling is the only man to beat Nadal in the French Open.
Incredibly, Nadal has lost only once during the tournament a total of six French Open campaigns and the defeat came against Soderling at the French Open in 2009. Nadal had won all four previous French Opens before losing to Soderling.
Overall, however, leads Nadal Soderling in their fight face-to-head 5-2. This is hardly surprising given that Nadal was either world number 1 or 2 for most of his career elite.
There had been signs this season that Nadal is succumbing to injuries suffered during his career so far. Although nominally still the world's number won the first place, the public is the fact that Nadal is now worse than Novak Djokovic, a player who was undefeated in 2011. In fact, Nadal has won four times this year, Djokovic.
Nadal did not get out the best of starts in the French public in 2011, but after being forced to go five sets to beat John Isner in the first round, it was pretty straightfoward for the Spaniard, Nadal does has not dropped another series when Isner.
Soderling world number five has yet to win a Grand Slam tournament, but he played his best Grand Slam Tennis French Open. Swedish 26-year, finished second at Roland Garros twice - and the last two seasons - and has great potential to go far in his 2011 French Open. Soderling was merely one of the current French Open, in the coming years, in his first round match against Ryan Harrison.
It must be said however that despite his talent, Soderling is a player illegally. While Nadal was always the final stages of tournaments, Soderling seems equally likely to be eliminated in the opening laps, as it is to win an event.