TENNIS in DEPTH.

Robin Soderling of Sweden will play home favourite Fernando Verdasco in Sunday’s final of the Barcelona Open BancSabadell after brushing aside the challenge of Thiemo de Bakker with a crushing 61 64 defeat to advance to his second ATP World Tour final of the season. Between them the pair had served over fifty aces between during the tournament, though neither posted particularly good service stats on Saturday, with just seven aces in total.

With De Bakker’s main weapon neutralised, the 21-year old struggled to find his rhythm, losing ten of the first eleven games before earning his first break of the world #7’s serve with a series of stunning winners. Södering was forced to raise his game to prevent a comeback, slamming down two aces to save a break point before sealing the second set 6-4.

Fernando Verdasco fought back from a set and a break down against compatriot David Ferrer on Saturday to book his place in the Barcelona Open final.

In the all-Spanish affair, Verdasco rallied to win 6-7(3/7) 7-5 6-1 and reach his second successive final.

It was a very even contest and neither player was willing to give an inch but Ferrer seemed to have grabbed a decisive advantage when, after winning the first set on a tie-break, he took a 4-2 lead in the second.

However, Verdasco swiftly broke back and, although Ferrer managed to save four set points on his serve, the number five seed levelled the match.

Ferrer, who reached the final the past two years, was growing increasingly frustrated and Verdasco swiftly went 5-0 up in the second set.

It is Verdasco’s second final in a row after he was swept aside 6-0 6-1 by Rafael Nadal last Sunday.

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