French Open finalist Robin Soderling is out of the Australian Open, losing 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to Alexandr Dolgopolov in the fourth round on Monday in the biggest upset so far of the tournament.The fourth-seeded Soderling hadn't dropped a set on an eight-match winning streak that started with his run to the final at the Brisbane tune up event.He dominated the opening set until things suddenly turned around against the 22-year-old Ukrainian, who has reached the quarterfinals in his first trip to the Australian Open and only his fourth major.Dolgopolov's cross-court backhand to bring up his first match point was typical of the 50 winners he hit against a stunned Soderling, the highest of the seeded players knocked out of the men's draw.Soderling saved three match points, but his run came to an end with another unforced error, his 51st.He was a win away from completing a set of quarterfinals appearances at all four majors.The 26-year-old Swede had only dropped his serve twice in the year, yet Dolgopolov broke him nine times in the match, including three times after conceding a break himself in the fifth set."I'm trying to get his weak side and play uncomfortable for him, then if I have chances to make winners, that's my game," Dolgopolov said."He has one of the hardest balls on tour but I was able to read his serve pretty well. I saw his shots pretty well, so it paid off," he said.He'll next play either 2010 finalist Andy Murray of Britain or No 11 Jurgen Melzer.In the earlier women's match, No 25 Petra Kvitova beat No 22 Flavia Pennetta 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.Andy Roddick's fourth-round 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 loss to 19th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka on Sunday night means there's no Americans in the men's or women's quarterfinals.The eighth-seeded Roddick was the last American man standing. The women were out before the third round ended."Obviously wasn't the showing that we wanted, you know, but I'm doing what I can," Roddick said.
News On AIR | January 24, 2011 11:00 AM
Soderling upset by Dolgopolov in 4th round