Roddick knee injury to keep him from London finals field

London, Nov 18 (DPA) Andy Roddick withdrew from the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals due to a knee injury he suffered six weeks ago. The US player is being replaced in the eight-man draw by Swede Robin Soderling.

Roddick limped out of the Shanghai Masters with the injury last month. He had earned a berth at the season finale for a seventh straight year - the second-longest active streak after number one Roger Federer's eight consecutive invitations.

Three-time Wimbledon finalist Roddick played the semi-finals in 2003 and 2004 in Houston and 2007 at Shanghai.

Soderling, who beat Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, was first alternate for the tournament, which begins Sunday at The O2 arena in London. Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga now becomes first alternate.

Soderling is the first Swede to play the season wrap-up since Thomas Johansson in 2002.

Roddick resumed light practice this week but said Tuesday he would not be fully fit for the tournament.

'I'm really disappointed to miss the World Tour Finals,' Roddick said. 'I love playing in London, and I've heard so many good things about the venue. However, I have not fully recovered from my knee injury, and I won't be able to compete. One of my goals in 2010 will be to qualify for this event again.'

The line-up features Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Juan Del Potro, Nikolay Davydenko, Fernando Verdasco and Soderling.

The draw will be made Wednesday, with the eight players drawn to play a minimum of three round-robin matches to determine which four players advance to the knockout semi-finals Saturday.

Indo Asian News Service

PARIS: Roger Federer gloriously completed a career Grand Slam on Sunday by capturing a record-equalling 14th major with a 6-1, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 win over Robin Soderling in the French Open final.

The 27-year-old world number two finally won a Roland Garros crown at the 11th attempt and in his fourth successive final having come up heartbreakingly short in the last three showdowns against Spanish nemesis Rafael Nadal.

Blog: Federer, the greatest ever

His victory, ironically over the Swedish 23rd seed who shocked four-time Nadal in the last 16, took him level with great friend Pete Sampras as the holder of 14 Grand Slam titles.

He also moved into a select group made up only of Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Andre Agassi as men who have won all four of the Grand Slam events.

"It was probably my greatest victory, I was under big pressure. I did it and it's phenomenal," said Federer who broke down in tears after being presented with the trophy by Agassi, the 1999 champion, and while the Swiss national anthem was played.

Soderling, who has now lost 10 times in 10 meetings with Federer, admitted the Swiss was a deserving winner.

"Roger was too good for me today, he played much better. He is a worthy winner and for me he is the best player in history," said Soderling.

"He gave me a lesson in how to play tennis."

Any doubts over Federer's ability to overcome his Paris jinx were quickly dashed as the Swiss star, playing in a record-equalling 19th Grand Slam final and riding a tidal wave of support, dominated Soderling.

He broke the first game on a Soderling double fault and was soon a second break to the good to lead 4-0 when a sweetly-timed drop shot left the Swede stranded behind the baseline.

Soderling, the first Swede in the Roland Garros final since his coach Magnus Norman finished runner-up to Gustavo Kuerten in 2000, stopped the rot with a hold to trail 4-1, but Federer quickly nipped further ahead to 5-1.

Soderling's uncompromising forehand, which was a dagger to the heart of Nadal, was looking more like a blunt instrument in the damp and chilly conditions.

His service game crumbled again in the seventh game as Federer claimed the opening set.

It had taken just 23 minutes with the Swiss losing just two points on serve.

The final was then delayed by a worrying security breach during the fourth game of the second set with Federer ahead 2-1.

A spectator, dressed in red, waved a flag of the Barcelona football club in the world number two's face before he was wrestled off Court Philippe Chatrier by security guards.

But the Swiss star wasn't disrupted from his elegant stride, either by the intruder or the rain which started to steadily fall.

Although Soderling slowly rediscovered his service power, it was Federer who was comfortably dictating the points and he fired down four aces in the tie-break to open up a two-sets lead.

He was a break ahead in the third set to lead 1-0 before Soderling carved out, and squandered, his first break point of the match in the fourth game.

Federer then sent down his 16th ace of the tie to stretch to 4-2.

He came out to serve for a place in history but faltered to 30-40 with a wild, running forehand.

With pregnant wife Mirka looking anxiously on, he averted the crisis and went to match point with a confident volley and claimed victory when Soderling netted a service return after 1hr 55min on court.

Federer slumped to the Paris clay in celebration and in tears as he secured his place as arguably the greatest player of all time.

toi