Ljubicic Surprises Nadal To Meet Roddick

As happens so often in the pivotal third set, he who serves well, wins. The trend happened again twice on Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open as 31-year old Ivan Ljubicic staved off a charge from Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick sealed the deal against Robin Soderling. The two winners will meet to decide the championship on Sunday at Indian Wells.

Ljubicic’s stunning 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1) upset of the defending champion and number three seed came the day after is 31st birthday. After the match, the Croatian remarked, “Probably the best tennis I’ve ever played in my career.”

Ljubicic was not gifted the match. In fact it seemed he would make an early exit after losing his first and last service games of the first set and then being on the ropes in the fourth and sixth games of the second. He saved one break point in the fourth game and came back from 0/40 in the sixth game to stay on serve. Nadal will not easily forget those opportunities.

In the ninth game, Nadal double-faulted to give the 20th seed the lead at 5-4. When Ivan served out the tenth game, he had the set and some momentum.

The winner immediately broke Nadal in game one of the third only to have the Spaniard break back. Ljubicic withstood an eighth game challenge when at break point he fired a wide forehand ace. At deuce, he served to Nadal’s backhand and the Spaniard dropped a short return into the net. When he won the game the rejuvenated winner’s serve just kept getting stronger and stronger.

Nadal won the first point in the tiebreaker and then watched as Ljubicic ran off 7 straight winners. After two hours and 34 minutes, Ljubicic delivered a solid backhand down the line that left Nadal flatfooted to end the match.

Sunday’s final will be Ljubicic’s first Masters Championship appearance in his career. With wins over the two seed, Djokovic and the three seed Nadal, he is certainly worthy.

Roddick Recovers Against Soderling

Prior to Saturday, And Roddick was winless against the sixth seeded Swede Robin Soderling. Neither Soderling nor Roddick had lost a set entering this semifinal match. The 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 match featured power tennis between two of the game’s most determined and experienced players.

After a slow start this season, Soderling has found his game and has steadily moved up in the rankings passing Roddick along the way. Roddick started the year quickly and now boasts the tour’s best record at 20-3. Roddick is especially effective on North American soil where he has now reached the finals in all 14 of the continent’s tour tournaments.

Roddick captured the only break he needed in the first set, as Soderling had no answers for the accomplished server. Roddick then grabbed a break in the second game of the second set. The highly agitated Swede came right back with a break of his own and a hold. He then went on to win four of the next five games to send the match to the third.

Roddick again earned the first break in the third only to have Soderling respond. However, at 2-3, Soderling served an unusually sloppy game and Roddick capitalized to go ahead 4-2. When he held in the seventh game the mach was all but decided.

Roddick owns a 7-3 advantage over Ljubicic in their career pairings. This, however, is not the same Ivan Ljubicic. This fellow has his game together. Roddick will need his stellar serve and his dazzling foot speed to hold the Croatian at bay. The Men’s final will follow the Women’s finals between Caroline Wozniacki and Jalena Jankovic.

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