The tennis world is in shocked tonight.

Rafael Nadal has been sent packing from the 2009 French Open!

Robin Soderling produced his best ever tennis to inflict defeat on the World number one for the first time ever at Roland Garros.

Nadal had not dropped a set since the final in 2007 and before today Rafa Nadal had not drop 2 sets in one match at the French Open, never mind lose a match. He had only dropped 7 sets in his 4 and half years of playing at the French Open.

That is until Super Robin Soderling stepped up, a player that only 4 weeks ago in Rome Nadal dismissed 6-0 6-1.

Soderling from point 1 went after Nadal and if not for poor tie break played in the second set, this would have been a straight sets win for Swede who is currently ranked 25 in the world and has never been in a grand slam quarter final.

Soderling had never beaten Nadal in their 3 meetings, though they did have a memorable meeting at Wimbledon in 2007 where Soderling mocked Nadal’s short tucking. The then world number 2 did not appreciate. Soderling lost that close match 6-4 6-4 6-7(7) 4-6 7-5. That match and the drubbing in Rome 4 weeks ago may just have been the inspiration that Soderling drawed on to post this most famous win.

At Nadal’s after match press conference he spoke on his loss

He didn’t surprise me because I know how he plays and how dangerous he can be. I didn’t play my best. I played very short and I couldn’t attack. I made it easy for him to play at his level. But I lost. It’s not a tragedy, I had to lose one day. I must accept my defeats with the same level of calm that I accept my victories.

The enormity of this win has so many consequences, Roger Federer will never have better chance than now to win the French Open title, that he so desperately seeks. He must improve substantially on his performances so far if he is to make history, he still has a number of hugely talented potential opponents to play.

Of all the places that Andy Murray could win his maiden grand slam title, Roland Garros was very much the bottom of every ones list, but the Scot is now the second favorite to lift the French Open Crown. See the updated Andy Murray French Open Odds.

The French crowd did show a lot of love for Nadal, but perhaps this is now the year for Tsonga or Monfils to take the roof of Roland Garros, Federer may potentially have to beat both these French players or they could even both meet in what would surely be a dream semi-final.

See the updated 2009 French Open Odds now Nadal is out!

World number 3 Andy Murray produced his best tennis of the French Open so far to sweep past 13th seed Marin Cilic with an impressive straight sets victory 7-5 7-6(7-3) 6-1.

The Scot is playing in only his third French Open and is the first Brit into the quarter-finals at Roland Garros since Tim Henman made the semi-finals in 2004.

Murray will be looking to emulate Henman in reaching the semi-finals when he takes on Fernando Gonzalez, the 12 seed from Chile on Tuesday 2nd June 2009.

Murray’s win against Cilic, the 13 seed who was yet to drop a set all tournament and had lost the least amount of games all tournament, will give the Scot great confidence that the he can progress further in Paris and chalange for the title.

Cilic had only seen his serve broken three times all tournament – Murray broke in the first game and would go on to break Cilic’s serve 6 times in total.

Murray was immeadiatly broken back after taking that initial game and the first set went with serve until 11th game, with Cilic serving at 5-5 the Croats serve broke down as Murray stepped up the pressure to secure his second break of serve. Murray would serve out the set comfortably claim the set with a big service winner.

Murray secured his third break of serve early in the second set to lead 3-1, but Cilic would once again break back to level at 4-4. Gotta stop Andy Murray story just now Rafa’s in trouble.

The Fourth round matches have all now been finalised and the 2009 French open has finally got his major upset. World number 4 and third favorite to lift the Roland Garros title, Novak Djokovic was knocked out by the 29th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber. The Serb went down in straight sets 6-4 6-4 6-4.

We also lost another top 10 player, France’s own Giles Simon, the 7th seed went down yesterday to the 30th seed Victor Hanescu again in straight sets 6-4 6-4 6-2. Hanescu will now take on 12 seed Fernando Gonzalez on Sunday.

The only other minor upset was 14th seed David Ferrer losing to 23rd seed Robin Soderling, the reward for Soderling is match (or should is say lesson) with Rafael Nadal. Perhaps Ferrer didn’t fancy facing his fellow countryman.

Britain’s Andy Murray will take 13th seed Marin Cilic – See a preview of Andy Murray v Marin Cilic.

The three best matches on paper are, on Sunday 10th seed Nikolay Davydenko takes on 8th seed Fernando Verdasco and on Monday surely the pick of the fourth round matches 5th seed Juan Martin Del Potro takes on flamboyant home favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and the other Frenchman 11th seed Gael Monfils takes on 6th seed Andy Roddick. Roddick perhaps playing his best clay court tennis of his career.

The last match is between the world number 2, Roger Federer and the only non seed left in the draw, Tommy Hass, the former world number 2 is proving that the he still has some huice left in the tank.

Andy Murray has reached the 4th round of French Open at Roland Garros for the first time in his career after Janko Tipsarevic retired in their third round match with Murray leading 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

Andy Murray once again produced another back from the dead performance to save two set points and hit back from two breaks of serve down in the first set  to win the set on a tie breaker 7 points to 3.

Tipseravic lead 5-2 after breaking Murray in two consecutive games. Murray saved two set points at 40-15 with Tipseravic serving and only inches saved the Scot as Tipseravic volleyed into the top of the net. Murray though secured the first break back after the world number 3 upped his game and some cracks appeared in Tipseravic, Murray held serve and broke the again to level everything at 5-5.

The match had very little rhythm and with most folks expecting Murray go on to win the set comfortably, the Scot was broken again by the Serb and Tipseravic had another chance to serve for the set. No set points for Tipseravic this time, but the same result, Murray breaks back and the set would be decided on a tie break. Murray’s serve held firm and the Scot secured the breaker 7-3.

Murray broke in the first game of the second set and Tipservic started to show visible signs of pain, the trainers were called and the Serb recievd a massage on his upper leg / hip / thigh area. Whatever the trainer did, seem to do teh trick as the  Tipseravic was able to hit back and recover the break of serve.

The recovery was cut short and Murray pressed on to secure another break and the likely hood of Tipseravic retiring looked to be rising. Giving credit to Tipseravic he fought his way to the end of second as the pain he was suffering appeared to intensive. The match was halted as Murray secured his sixth break of serv for the match and the second set.

Andy Murray will now face 13th seed Marin Cilic in the fourth round, Cilic beat Radek Stepanek 6-1 7-6 6-3 earlier in the day.

This is Murray’s third year at Roland Garros and is his best performance to date after reaching the third round last year and suffering a 1st round knock out back in 2006. He missed the 2007 French Open due to a wrist injury.

With only 2 matches left to finish in the second round the third round of the 2009 French Open is starting to take shape.

As yet we are still waiting to see any big upsets, Roger Federer and Andy Murray both flirted with losing, but both saw their way to victory in the end.  And the rest of the top 20 have all made there way to the last 32, minus American James Blake and Tomas Berdych who both lost in the first round. In fact the only seed to go out in th second so far isthe 28th seed, Spaniard Feliciano Lopez who lost Janko Tipsarevic. 4th seed Novak Djokovic and 29th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber have both still to complete their second round matches.

The third round is the first round that seeds can meet and should now start to see many more mouth watering matches. Britain’s Andy Murray is one seed who is’nt facing a seed, he takes on  Janko Tipsarevic, see a preview of Andy Murray v Janko Tipsarevic.

Rafael Nadal will face former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt and Roger Federer will face 32nd seed Paul-Henri Mathieu. 

Pick of the matches should be the all Spanish affair between 32nd seed Nicolas Almagro and 8th seed Fernando Verdasco and the encounter between 25th seed Igor Andreev and 5th Juan_martin Del Potro.

Andy Murray reached the third round of the French Open after a very hard fought 4 set victory over Italian Potito Starache. He came from two breaks down in the third set to secure his victory 6-3 2-6 7-5 6-4.

The match was supposed to be a breeze for the 22 year old Scot and Murray started the match like it was going to be, but from what looked liked an only one-winner match, things turned disastrous. Murray was broken consecutive service games in the second set and found himself 5-1 down, Starache served out the set to win it 6-2.

Things went from bad to worst with Starache repeating the second set and taking an amazing 5-1 lead in the third. Things looked bleak for Murray as the Scot could not get his game going. But as we have seen from Murray before it’s often when he is backed into a corner that we then see his true colours. With Murray serving to stay in the third set, the Italian Starache secured another break point and his first third set  point. Murray saved with a solid winner and finally he had to something to get pumped up about.

He saved his service game and forced Starache to serve out, where Murray final releases his big guns and Starache begins to show a little nerve. Some good volleying and  a scorching backhand winner help see Murray claim his first break point since the first set. The Scot dually converts it with one of the most amazing passing shots you will likely see this week and the third set is still alive.

Starache is still 5-3 up and sloppy play be Murray allows the Italian another set point, Murray saves with a precise backhand down the line and two big serves see him hold his serve and force Starache to serve again for the set.

No way was Murray losing this game as he breaks the Italian to love and level the set at 5-5. The set was now only going one way and Murray held serve and broke again for the third consecutive time to win the set 7-5.

The fourth was a fairly deflated affair, Murray maintained decent form, but never quite reached the highs of the third set, the set went with serve and Murray secured the match in 10th game, with Starache serving to stay in the match, Murray produces a couple of stupendous returns to move to his first match point, Starache would save that ands then another before Murray hits a stunning cross court forehand on his third match point to clinch a fairly dramatic, and rather impressive, victory.

After the second round win Murray spoke to the media,

I got broken at the start of the second set and once I got broken he started to play a lot better. He managed to make me move a lot with his forehand but I still found a way to win. In five-set matches, the momentum always tends to shift. I was frustrated that I was playing well and let him back into the match. But I turned it around by playing more aggressive, playing the ball deep to his backhand and coming to the net a lot more. The most important thing is I found a way to win and I’m very happy to be in the next round.

Up next for Andy Murray in the third round is either Janko Tipsarevic, who beat 28th seed Feliciano Lopez - 6-7 (9-11) 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.

With all the first round matches completed, the French Open enters the second round stage on Wednesday. As yet we have no major upsets, but a few minor ones.

The highest seed to go so far is American James Blake, he lost to Argentine qualifier Leonardo Mayer in straight sets and 19th seed Tomas Berdych lost to Simone Bolelli in a tense 5-setter.

The 21st and 22nd seeds both dropped out the draw, the 21st seed Dmitry Tursunov lost the last match of the second round to veteran Frenchman Arnaud Clement and another American, this time Mardy Fish lost to Maximo Gonzalez leaving Andy Roddick as the sole American seed left in the draw, in fact the only other American left in the draw is Robert Kendrick from the 9 that started. (That’s British stats at Wimbledon).

Former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt outlasted 26th seed Ivo Karlovic in another long 5 set match on the opening day and the last seed to fall was 27th seed Rainer Schuettler who lost to France’s own Marc Gicquel.

Andy Murray wil take on Italian Potito Starache, See a preview of Andy Murray v Potito Starace.

World number Rafael Nadal takes on Russian Teimuraz Gabashvil and Roger Federer takes on Argentine Jose Acasuso, which could be a tricky match.