Soderling back in the swing

Soderling: first win of 2010

The first match of the week is always the most difficult for me

Robin Soderling
Quotes of the week

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Robin Soderling overcame a sluggish start to record his first victory of the year at the ABN Amro tournament in Rotterdam on Monday.

The third-seeded Swede lost the opening set of his first-round clash with Florent Serra, but battled back to see off the Frenchman 4-6 6-4 6-1.

Soderling, who has been troubled by an elbow injury in the early part of 2010 that contributed to him crashing out in the first round of the Chennai Open and also the Australian Open, at one stage looked on course for another defeat.

However he found his rhythm on his service and forced his way back into the match, eventually firing down 26 aces.

Having levelled the match with a single break in the second, Soderling proved much the stronger in the deciding set and two more breaks saw him coast to victory.

However, he acknowledged afterwards that he still had plenty to improve on ahead of his second round clash.

"The first match of the week is always the most difficult for me," the 2009 French Open finalist explained. "I could have had a better start.

"But my game got better and better. I know I can play a lot better. I'm satisfied with the win but not really with my form."

Marathon tussle

Germany's Florian Mayer emerged victorious after a marathon tussle with Serbian Janko Tipsarevic, Mayer eventually recording a 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (8-6) triumph.

Mayer conceded he was slightly fortunate to come through after spurning opportunities to finish the match earlier.

"I had chances in the second set (match point) and led 3-0 in the third," he stated. "I couldn't hold onto to either one. In the end I was just lucky to win."

Tipsarevic has now lost three of four career matches in Rotterdam going back to the 2007 tournament.

In the afternoon's other encounter, Italy's Andreas Seppi had rather less trouble disposing of Swiss qualifier Stephane Bohli, claiming a straight sets 6-1 7-5 success in just under an hour and a half.

Spaniard Tommy Robredo, the fifth seed, coasted through in the evening, defeating Dutchman Robin Haase 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.

Top seed Novak Djokovic and second seeded Nikolay Davydenko begin their campaigns on Tuesday.