Soderling Powers Into QFs

© Getty ImagesRobin Soderling has not dropped serve en route to the quarter-finals.

Top seed Robin Soderling fired nine aces in a 6-3, 7-6(7) win Thursday over German Michael Berrer to reach the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International, an ATP World Tour 250 tennis tournament. The top-ranked Swede next will play Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden, who upset eighth-seeded Uzbekistani Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-4.

Soderling, who lost in the 2009 Brisbane quarter-finals to eventual champion Radek Stepanek in his only prior appearance in Queensland, saved both break points he faced today against the left-handed German. In his opening-round win over 18-year-old American Ryan Harrison, Soderling saved the lone break point he faced.

Soderling said, “It was tough today. Two sets, but they were both really close and  I had to save some break points in the first set. The second one was really close and I was lucky to win this match in two sets. I had to fight a lot to win this one.  Tie-breaks are always a little different. You have to stay very focused. He came up with some good stuff in the tie-break but I still managed to win it.”

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Last season Soderling became the first Swede to finish in the Top 5 (at No. 5) since former coach Magnus Norman was No. 4 in 2000. He was one of six players on the ATP World Tour to register at least 50 match wins, posting a career-best 57-22 match record, including 39-15 on hard courts.  In December Soderling parted ways with Norman and began working with Claudio Pistolesi.

Ebden, who last year shocked Austrian Jurgen Melzer to reach the Brisbane second round, today advanced to his first ATP World Tour quarter-final.  The Perth resident climbed from No. 331 in 2009 to No. 183 last season, reaching a career-best No. 162 on Aug. 30.

Ebden said that he was delighted to reach the quarter-finals, calling it “my best performance,” and that he relished his upcoming meeting with Soderling. “I look forward to going out and testing my skills against one of the best players out there.”