PARIS, (Reuters) – Sweden’s Robin Soderling wore down Czech Tomas Berdych 6-3 3-6 5-7 6-3 6-3 yesterday to reach the final of the French Open for the second year in a row. The fifth seed’s victory set up an eagerly anticipated re-match with Rafael Nadal in the final after he became last year the first player to beat the Spaniard at Roland Garros.
In sweltering conditions, Soderling looked jaded at the end when Berdych pushed a backhand into the tramlines to end a three hour 27 minute contest full of fierce baseline rallies.