
Nadal had not lost at the French Open since lifting the trophy on his debut in 2005 and had thrashed Soderling 6-1 6-0 just a few weeks earlier in Rome.
Federer was the clear No. 2 on clay from 2006 to 2009 when he made three straight French Open finals before breaking his duck. Arguably this was the most important hard earned slam win of his career, to cement himself in the annals of tennis history #federer #soderling #nadal #djokovic #tennis #grandslam