Two BPs for Nadal!!! Vamos!

Now hold 4 consecutive times (please??????)

rafa shaking out his leg. hope we don't have cramps coming on. please break here rafalito.

word Matt...

*keeping the faith*

Yeesh, Rafa down 2 sets to 1? Honestly didn't see this coming. If he loses, he loses, and us Rafa fans will have to move on, but what a disappointment--to go out to Soderling, of all people.

Soderling has the potential to become the GOAT of Evil in the hearts of Rafa fans everywhere today.

Rafa breaks!!! Cmon rafa! This will be the ultimate test..own it!!!

"The Madrid tourney will be more cursed than ever now."

evie: actually, I'm still blaming Barcelona (have been ever since I found out Rafa was going to play three consecutive weeks at MC-Barcelona-Rome). And no, this isn't the tiredness excuse coming up again, but I do think he should have been more prudent about his schedule given his tendency to reach the last stages of all the clay-court events. At some point, if you keep winning everything over the course of a short but intense season, you start to lose focus and the grind of winning the same tournament 4-5 times in a row gets to you. Roger knows about this firsthand and he made the point in a recent interview.

Meanwhile, the crowd's roar every time Soderling wins a point is deafening.

Vika serving 4-1
forceful FH draws the error from Vika 0-15
FH DTL winner off the short shot by Vika 15-15
FH error by Ana 30-15
Ana gets Vika on the run and gets an error 30-30
BH error by Vika break point
excellent dropshot winner by Vika deuce
nice BH DTL winner by Ana break point #2 FH winner DTL by Ana
game Ana 2-4

Bobby, I missed Kuz's comment, could you enlighten?

The thing about Dementieva is after what she said about Venus and Serena splitting matches, I've pretty much decided she's a straight shooter.

And he BREAKS! Vamos Pinky!!!!

.....I'm feeling a rafa 4th set rout......Sod looking tentative suddenly....

...also sensing Rafa taking his energy level up a bit...

Vamos my OTL!2-0...

keep it up!!! consolidate!

Why is the match not televised at all?

Soderling got sloppy and there's the early fourth set break.

ana is going back in the match!!!

Yes!!!!!!! rafa breaks, rafa breaks!!!! This is it... We are going to five sets everyone

OMG, what this would mean for Swedish tennis. Please Robin please. We have waited so long.

Lol Matt Zemek, so true about Rafa.

Hi, Daylily. Hope Memphis life is treating you well. :)

Hang in there. Long way to go.

Yes they have AA

Sod of all people has

I give credit to him.I thought when Rafa won the t/break easy the tide has turned

he has kept up the intensity during this match

Ok we are going into the 4th set now

lets see if the Sod can keep this up or is it the reality for Rafa to bring his game today

Cmon rafa!!! Consolidate. Cmon!

hi matt, thanks for the soothing words. yes, you are right -- if anyone can pull it together, rafa can! vamos rafael!!!!

Ana breaks back...crowd seem angry at Vika now....

Vamos! consolidate please

3 BPs for Sod to get the break back.

And here are BP back. Rafa, WTF??

Sorry ... if Fed makes it to the final and wins it, he deserves it.

You have to make it to the final to challenge ... not Fed's fault.

Can we say the same of Fed's USO victories? ... Rafa never made it to the final to challenge him.

Anyhoo ... WAY too early to be talking about Rafa being out of it.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYeeeeeeeeees

Rafa finaaaaaaaaaaaly gets a break to go 2 - 0 up .... c'mon brother !!!!

three break points
i'm in shock
i've never seen rafa give up like this, not at a slam anyway
he is not getting to balls

soderling has dug in. he's not going anywhere. rafa you must hold here or all bets are off.

then Rafa got sloppy and is down 0-40

Triple BP for Sod. Unfreakingbelievable.

OMG, I wish i could curse on this space.... because right now, that's what i fell like doing...
I mean, WTF????

Ana serving 2-4
point Ana 15-0
Vika forces the error from Ana with pace 15-15
another error by Ana 15-30
Netcord sits up and Vika hits the BH on the line 15-40
CC return mishit winner by Vika
game Vika 5-2

It's at moments like these you really find out what you think about who wins n who loses ha ha

What's this baby punting issue with Soderling all about?!

WTF?!

3 bp for Sod after the break fr Rafa...

Fed and Soderling are gonna be the best of friends...

Sher, Kuz said this in her last presser. I thought the comments were cute:

"You know I'm a big fan of Roger. What can I say? I mean, I don't think ‑‑ like Rafa, for now, he looks like machine because he wins everything. He's like so good, you know. I have so much respect, and this guy is great. I don't wish him tolose. I wish him to win. But if somebody will beat him, I wish it would be Roger."

Link dies. Come back and Sod has 3 break points and BREAKS RAFA. *dying.

Go Robin go! Kom nu!

Ir Rafa and Ana lose, it will be the day of upsets.

We are on serve again. Cmon rafa!

Sod gets broken!! Yess
And Vee/Ree are hanging on.

The Frenchie fans always leave a bad taste in my mouth, probably why RG my least favourite slam.

Yeesh!Rafa can't consolidate the break and give it back to Soderling?WTH?

Ana is almost packing.

Vika breaks back and is serving for a place in her first GS QF....

Daylily Is that you? wow good to see you?

OMG!!!! NOOO!!!!!

Yikes. That was ugly.

Rafa never seems to hold very early breaks in tight matches. I've seen him do this a number of times, he just has to get back on track and stay with Robin here.

hey, sherlock, my old flatmate, lovely to say hey! it's summertime and vactiontime from school.

and time for rafa to turn this match around!!!!

If Nadal loses, the draw is wide open for Roddick. LOL.

I'm just not ready to see rafa lose. in the final maybe but not today. I don't mind that it's soderling. He's playing incredibly well.

Ok....now I'm stunned....unbelieveable comeback for the Sod. This guy usually melts down after losing his serve like that. He just went back to aggreessive service returns and putting Rafa on the defensive. Amazing. 1-2...on serve

Sods is to Nadal what Canas was to Roger.

Sods is to Nadal what Canas was to Roger.

I must recognize that I have started to lose my faith... Rafa doesn't seem to find timing and Soderling is killing it... I so dislike him

hi, AM -- vb.com is shut down or writhing in paralysis so i came over here to cheer, bad time to be on one's own, no?

Jason, it's funny, I was thinking the same thing.

Rafa is my second fave player. Vamos Rafa!

Will Roddick lose after Nadal in RG?

Soderling's trying for too much with his backhand, increasingly hitting the net the last few games.

damn not this not cool at all... Come on RaFa...

I just hope, that if Rafa loses today, Roger won't choke on it.

Seriously, there's a lot of matches still to play.

He'll turn into the favorite, I don't know whether that prospect is something he cares for in RG.

Opening at 0-30 for B/N as Nadia hit FH passing shot for winner
15-30 Bethanie nets BH
15-40 Nadia FH too hot for Venus
30-40 Bethanie nets BH return
40-40 Nadia BH return long as Serena served big out wide
40-A Serena nets FH
40-40 Nadia nets FH return as Serena served big again
A-40 Bethanie FH return long on another big serve
40-40 Serena BH long
A-40 Missed point - took phone call
Serena holds as Venus hit volley winner

B/N to serve 7-6(4),5-7,5-all

Got to run an errand :(

Sod's blasts into the ad corner have nailed rafa every time today. how does rafa remedy that? we're getting down to the wire here. this is going to be over very soon.

i just can't believe it.

Hm, funny that, both last years champions are struggling today. Something in the air maybe?

Oh my gosh, it's 5-5 in the third in the Williams doubles match. How's everyone playing in that one? I can't imagine this World #2 and #3 losing as a doubles team. I hope they don't!

*hugs daylily*

Zahra: Sorry that you can't watch it live.

Come on RaFa break here plzzz....

This is unbelievable. I thought there would be a scare and the world would be a normal place on clay. Sheez. Sod actually is working...

Vika serving for the match 5-2
Ana hits the FH winner CC 0-15
deep FH off the return , error by Ana 15-15
Ana serving 0-4
error by Ana 0-15
FH error by Vika 15-15
2nd serve, error by Vika 15-30
error by Ana 30-30
2nd serve, FH return winner break point
Dropshot, Vika can't get there
game Ana 3-5

Soderling has just been the better all-round player today, hard as it is to admit. Starting with return of serve, which has been crucial. And excellent court coverage.

Some of the balls the Sod is playing are unstoppable.

and sod does it again!! that's the shot that got nadal.

serena and vee saved many match points....im loving vika and ana match now!!!

if vika has to win here, she had too work very very hard!!!

hi jacko???!!! is vika's backhand her best shot?

and Ana breaks with a great dropshot...5/3 Vika...crowd all behind Ana now....

Kiwibee I know this sucks big time

Well I don't usually comment during rafa's matches but I had to come and say I didn't expect this. Much credit to Soderling. I'm sure they'll give him the keys to the city (Paris that is) after this. He's getting more crowd support than the french players.
Rafa, what can I say? Tough day no?

VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think win or lose after this performance, Rafa's aura of invincibility is gone and people will begin thinking of Fed as a co-favorite (especially with his recent tormentor Djokovic out of it)

Can Azarenka win this match?

another vb refugee here. this match is making me sick. literally ill. not the sod. glad i can't see a point.

so if the vb board is noncomunicado, and not a livestream to be found, and nbc has embargoed all tv...does that mean it is really happening.

hey daylil's...this is a nasty way to begin summer, no?

VAMOS RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

how come robin can play rafa like this and not roger?

Daylily:

Long time no hear.

I really, really want Rafa to win this. Soderling's the ONE man who can't be allowed to be remembered in history as the one who stopped the magic.

Rafa just needs to buck up. He's pretty good at doing that, from what I've seen of the boyo over the years.

gawd, plz lose Rafa and for-the-love-of-god Fed play your heart and finally win this thing. Styles make fights, we need the Sods of this world sometimes.

wow. soderling manages to consolidate.

soderling is just coming in, and he's not letting up. he's hitting through rafa. this is a bit like rafa used to look on hard courts against big hitters, before he ramped up his hard court game.

this aint over, by any means, thas for sure.

Tfactor: the crowd more anti-Rafa than usual, and they never like Rafa.

Of all the players to lose to at RG for the first time ever...Soderling? If I wasn't a Rafa KAD and bleeding inside, I'd be laughing my head off just now.

Tim, you can de-lurk now!

Daylily You might be the one lucky charm our boy needs right now

So glad and happy you are here with us

Rafa is no way down and out

I know him too well

Vamos Rafa!

The unstoppable Swede. Soderling is Borg out there today. Kom nu, Robin.

*waves madly to rudy3*

sad abt vb being down

and the sad thing is if sod wins today he'll get beaten in the next round 'cus he's giving it all he has today. that's why i want rafa around til the end. listening to rafa struggle out there is tough.

I think RaFa will pull this one out atleast i hope he does lol...

Phaura....its definitely her best shot....she takes it earlier than the forehand..which she can hit up on occassionally....its just very fluid and powerful...great Vika defence gives her MP as she forces error from Ana....

One defending champ down . . .

If anyone can fight hard, and tuff it out, it's Rafa. Fed is probably glued to the tv, cheering for Soderling

What I don't understand is the behavior of the French crowd. Soderling has played an amazing match, but a little support for Rafa would not hurt...

Ana serving 3-5
bad miss on the return 15-0
return error 0-30
Vika went to look at the mark and the crowd gives her a round of boos
Ana misses the OH wide 30-15
shank FH by Ana 30-30
Anaa's FH , can't stop Vika from hitting a great defensive FH deep match point
error by Ana
game set match Vika 6-2. 6-3