Federer def. Soderling 6-4, 7-6(7)
written: 11:22 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008

And seriously, why cover a tennis tournament if you're not going to broadcast all the matches, or as many as you can? Matches start from 11 a.m. Paris time, which is 6 p.m. here, but coverage of Bercy typically starts at 10.30 p.m. - if I'm lucky. Roger's playing sometime around 9.30/10.30-ish tonight, after Djokovic/Tsonga which starts at 8.30, but guess what? Bercy's only scheduled to start at 11.30 p.m.

Seriously. Seriously. No Djoker/Tsonga, NO FEDERER? What the hell are you doing? Why bother covering an event at all if the viewer doesn't get to watch the top seeds? The Nadal match last night wasn't shown either.

WHAT THE FUCK. Absolutely unbelievable. At this rate, SuperSports is the only channel that I can rely on. At least they shifted their (very limited) regular programming for the US Open coverage. StarSports is just totally screwing me over right now. Shit, they're covering the Masters Cup too. UGH FUCK, why am I stuck with these stupid shitty channels? WHY DON'T WE HAVE A TENNIS CHANNEL? Fuck StarHub.

Onto much more happier matters now.

So I watched the live stream that shockingly didn't buffer every other second, and didn't buffer at all until towards the end, but by then StarSports finally decided to switch over from their TAPED PROGRAMME to the LIVE TENNIS MATCH that was already more than an hour underway, so I got to watch the last bit.

While watching the live stream, I wrote some rambling running commentary that makes no sense to anyone but myself which I will post for my own amusement. Before that, the tie-break was damn nerve-wrecking. Soderling got a mini-break early on and had two set points but well, he lost them, one by way of an error. Too bad! Roger then had a match point on Soderling's serve, and it just proved, once more, how he'd stay focused and fight for a win when it's a big point and the win is in sight.

I think Roger played really well. His unforced errors went up in the second set, as usual, but he made some great shots and served decently. I have high hopes of him winning this tournament, and I hope he does!

Soderling played weird though. I've never watched him play but he's known for his big serves but he ended up missing 50% of his first serves in the first set. That was probably why Roger managed to break him early. Oh well, too bad for him then!

Right, I need to go off and do proper work. Running commentary after this paragraph.

(Started at like, 3.05 a.m. or so.)

Yes, Soderling double fault!

Roger wins a challenge?!

Great, he missed a forehand, and along with it, a chance to bring the game to deuce. Boo.

OMG brilliant net play by Roger! He comfortably holds serve at love. Yay, he's playing well!

Soderling misses a backhand return. 0-15! Soderling misses a first serve! Hahaha. OMG Roger smashes at the net! 0-30!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG!!! Soderling misses another first serve! Guess that serve ain't working for him today. OMG amazing backhand winner!!!!!! 0-40 and THREE BREAK POINTS!!! "Crisply struck shot" - commentator. ITA! FUCK, Roger misses a forehand. Two more break points - come on, break break BREAK! Yesss Soderling misses a first serve again. YESSSSS SODERLING'S RETURN FOUND THE NET AND ROGER BREAKS!

I'm actually glad now I'm watching the live stream; I don't have to deal with stupid annoying and repetitive commercials, and I can watch Roger open his racquet bag and take out things from it! Omg omg camera's directly to Roger's left. He's drinking water! *thuds* I'm gonna die. Federer Overload!!

Roger serves now at 2-1. YESSS great forehand winner to S's backhand side! Oh no he missed a return. =( Serve an ace Roger! Crap he missed his first serve! FUCK FUCK FUCK HE MISSED HIS BACKHAND. DOWN 15-30. NOOOOOO. Don't let S break you back omg! Crap, another botched first serve. Good, Soderling missed. 30-30. He's got a game point! Oh he holds. Uh, I have no idea what happened, but yay!

Oh my god Roger, what was that forehand? Haha oh well. Great, he missed another backhand return. Oh well. 30-0 Soderling. Business as usual basically. Hmm, I'm not seeing the big serve S is apparently known for. 40-15. Not holding my breath for a break here. Okay, I dunno what Roger just did; looked like some slice. Didn't get over the net. Argh, screen is too small to see! But it beats ranting at StarSports so I'm not complaining,

Uh WTF. The live stream has its own stupid commercials. NOOOO I wanna see my darling drink water!!

Roger just served an ace! Or was it a service winner? Can't tell the difference. Screen too small. Uh, the feed buffered at Roger's game point. Since he won the game in one second, I'm guessing it was an ace. Yay!

Fuck!!! The feed is acting up. I'm depressed.

Ooh Soderling's return was long. 0-15! "Federer's reputation alone forces you to take more risks." - commentator. Okay 30-15. Once again, I'm guessing there won't be a second break of serve. It's okay, as long as Roger holds his own serve! Okay Soderling ace. Finally! Live up to your rep already, jeez. Wow Soderling, that serve looked like mine. OMG 40-30! Does Roger have a chance? No. Soderling seals it with a 205 km/h serve - yeah that's pretty huge, to put it mildly.

Soderling's first serve percentage: 50%. That's quite sad. He's not playing well today I think, 'cause if his first serve is 50% then he doesn't deserve the "big serve" rep! Roger's serving at 77%! Not bad.

I think I'm gonna sleep after the first set. I'm damn sleepy.

Oh my god, great backhand winner! S ran to the left, Roger was on the right, and he whacked the backhand and S was already gone. Um someone challenged something. No idea what happened? OMG shit I missed a Roger volley! Arghhh!!! Yesss Roger holds, again, at love. Another easy hold.

Okay maybe this isn't worth staying up for. He's winning too easily. Kinda boring. Though Soderling is quite cute. But still. He's just giving it to Roger! Fight a bit please.

Argh wtf, Soderling missed another first serve. Great, Roger couldn't get his return in even though that second serve looked pretty tame to me. Another backhand error. OMG no way, Soderling missed that easy shot?!?!?! One that could've been smashed? Why did he not smash it? Oh well, 15-15! Roger might have the chance to win the set now! Soderling served like me again - WAY out. Soderling hit the ball out again! 15-30 - one more point Roger, to get yourself two set points! Oh great, Roger missed his forehand. But he sure gets back damn quickly - I totally covet his footwork. Omg another miss! Great, Soderling has a game point. Soderling isn't serving well at all. Haha WTF Soderling made an error, taking the game to deuce. Soderling and everyone, please stop forcing Roger's backhand; it's giving me a heart attack. Great, advantage Soderling. Sigh, Roger missed.

Oh well, he serves for the set! Yesss a service winner! Three more points Roger. Oh no first serve missed. I hate these long rallies. SHIT Soderling scored a winner. Noooo! 15-15. Good, huge first serve. 30-15. Yesss another big serve! Two set points. YES!! HE CLINCHES IT WITH A VOLLEY!!!

Brilliant play Roger. I can't see very clearly but it looked pretty good to me. Not many errors so far and he's not playing very aggressively yet, but he's definitely not playing sloppily. Good! He's gonna win this.

Great, the stream is freezing at the slow-mo repeats. How sad. Omg, his backhand is gorgeous. Omg, his newly-cut hair looks amazing! I just noticed.

Okay set two!

Soderling is really quite cute and he starts with an ace. Heh he missed - 30-15. Nooo live stream don't die!!! Crap it's frozen. I can't see shit. Okay it comes back just in time for Soderling to hold.

ROGER HOLD AT LOVE PLEASE! Yay S missed his return. And he missed his return again. Roger missed his ace (presumably). S missed again! 40-0. Ace!! Ooh no ace, but great winner! Serve to S's far backhand side, Roger stands in the middle and whacks the ball to S's far forehand side. Awesome, and he indeed holds at love.

Eh Roger's missed two backhands! What the hell. S is up 40-0. No break here. OH MY GODDD THAT FOREHAND WINNER FROM ROGER WAS AMAZING!!!! How did he know Soderling was going to run right? Oh well, Soderling holds.

OMG what? Roger just ducked. What happened? OMG he almost got hit bt the ball! Next point: ARE YOU SERIOUS THAT BALL WAS IN?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! OMG no way. Oh my god, another brilliant shot. I NEED THIS MATCH DAMMIT. FUCK YOU STARSPORTS. 40-30. Hold!! His short hair looks damn good. YESSS Roger holds! This game featured two brilliant, brilliant points by Roger. Happy!

Eh seriously Soderling isn't getting his first serves in. What gives? 40-15 - no break. I think. Um that Soderling shot looked out to me, but oh well, Roger isn't challenging, and my screen is like puny and quality damn bad so.

I want to sleep. I hate StarSports.

Yay brilliant ace by Roger! Rog narrowly avoided dropping another point on his serve; Soderling's pass was long. Oh yay Soderling missed another return. 40-0! YESS! He holds at love again, with a brilliant point too. Feed froze when Soderling scrambled to return but could tell he couldn't get it back.

Okay my feed is dying arghh! I'm going to cry.

Come on Roger, break him! Ooh, that was a brilliant second serve from Soderling. Great, the feed froze at the most crucial moment! OMG ROGER GOT IT BACK! Soderling thought he had it with the drop shot but of course Roger ran after it and won the point. Oh my god Roger what was that forehand error? It looked like my forehand.

Okay great both on serve, Soderling leads 4-3. He better not break Roger for the set!

Oh my god brilliant cross-court forehand winner by Rog!

Okay StarSports is finally showing it. Roger didn't come anywhere close to breaking, but neither did Soderling. I expect a tie-break. I think I'm going to bed; tired, and can't take the heart attack!

before sunrise // before sunset

Previously:
- - Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017
I'm moving. - Sunday, Jul. 11, 2010
In all honesty - Tuesday, Jul. 06, 2010
What I want for my birthday... - Sunday, Jul. 04, 2010
On Roger's behalf. - Friday, Jul. 02, 2010