Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Thu 07 Jul 2007No love lost in marathon duelThese are trying times. Players are beginning to crack under the water torture. Yesterday the pent-up frustration spilled from the court into the post-match press conference. As world number two Rafael Nadal finally finished his fourth-round match five days after it began, his prickly relationship with Robin Soderling continued unabated.Both players were coy enough after the five-set match ended 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 4-6, 7-5 in the Spaniard's favour but there was little doubting the hostility between them. The behaviour of Soderling throughout gave the impression that he was lampooning Nadal.