By Adrianna Outlaw
© Brisbane International

(January 9, 2011) In a battle of big servers playing first-strike tennis, Robin Soderling had the final word. The top-seeded Swede slammed 16 aces and did not face a break point in dismissing defending champion Andy Roddick, 6-3, 7-5, to capture the Brisbane International title.

It is a significant title for Soderling, who secured a top-four seed at the Australian Open by virtue of the victory. Soderling has lost in the opening round in three of his five Australian Open appearances and said winning Brisbane will empower him for a run in Melbourne. The Australian Open begins on January 17th.

"I’m playing really well and what makes me really happy is I never really played well in Australia before,” Soderling said. "I didn’t have the results here and now finally I have won a tournament playing really good tennis, which makes me really happy. It gives me a lot of confidence for Melbourne."

It is Soderling's seventh career championship, but just his second title outdoors. He did not drop a set en route to his second title in his last three events. Soderling won the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris last November.

"I’ve had the best possible preparation I could have with five good matches here, now I’ll have a week of rest and practice in Melbourne and I’ll be more than ready to go," Soderling said. "I know I have a chance to do really well if I play good tennis like here."

The second-seeded Roddick saved eight of 10 break points, but could not make an impression in Soderling's service games.

“He served great. Conditions were heavy and he served through it better,"  Roddick said. "I think that was the difference; I wasn’t able to get into any return games and he got into two and was able to break in those. I don’t think the conditions will be similar to this in Melbourne. But all you can ask for is getting in five good matches, that’s what you want after a lay-off. It didn’t go my way today, but overall I feel like I should be prepared for Melbourne."



The second-seeded Roddick dropped to 2-6 lifetime vs. the big-hitting Soderling, but said he was satisfied with his level of play overall.

"I felt like I hit the ball well this week, I returned pretty well," Roddick said. "I think I could serve a little better, but if there’s one thing that I don’t worry about as much as the rest when it’s not going well it’s my serve. I feel comfortable and feel like I got what I needed out of this week."