Robin Söderling. This name definitely means something to you. But the ex-tennis player has been retired since 2011. What has become of him?
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Robin Soderling and Rafael Nadal
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The tennis players who managed to beat Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros can be counted on the fingers… on one hand. Indeed, since the start of his career, the Spaniard has lost twice against Novak Djokovic in France, in 2015 then in 2021, and against a certain… Robin Söderling, in 2009. It is the latter that interests us today. While Rafael Nadal, who has won the Paris Grand Slam tournament 14 times, is trying to survive on the ATP circuit at the age of 37, Robin Söderling has retired.
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A look back at the end of Robin Söderling’s career
But what becomes of him? Robin Söderling, born in 1984 in Sweden, played his last match on the professional circuit in 2011, ten years after his debut. This final match was a final – won – at the ATP 250 tournament in Bastad, against David Ferrer. The tall 1m93 tennis player intended to continue his career, but mononucleosis prematurely interrupted his exploits. Besides this, the Swede had to fight against depression. “I had constant anxiety, the slightest noise made me panic”, explained the main person involved to a Swedish radio, adding that he had even thought about “suicide”.
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“I could only lose to three players, otherwise I felt bad, like a failure. You have to train hard, but also relax, keep perspective in order to build a life on the side.”, he admitted at the time, undoubtedly speaking of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Despite all this, he will remain hopeful of returning to the ATP circuit. Before giving up and announcing his retirement in 2015, at only 30 years old. A waste considering the CV of the player, who had a memorable forehand. In ten years of career, he has won ten titles, also losing ten finals. His highlights? Two finals at Roland-Garros, two participations in the end-of-season Masters and victories in Marseille, Lyon, Bastad, Milan, Rotterdam, Paris and even Brisbane. The best ranking of his career? A fourth position at the ATP in November 2010. Not bad, right?
Que devient Robin Söderling?
Like many tennis players who retire, Robin Söderling embarked on a coaching career, like a certain Juan Carlos Ferrero. He was thus the coach of his fellow Swede Elias Ymer for a year, before returning to his family. The ex-pro himself admits that today he takes time to look after his children, who are also very sporty. Robin Söderling was also the captain of the Swedish Davis Cup team, from 2019 to 2023, a mandate marked by the Covid-19 pandemic. He will take a step back in early 2023 for health reasons.
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But that’s not all. Robin Söderling is also a business leader. About ten years ago, he launched his brand of tennis balls, which are intended to be more environmentally friendly. “When I retired, I wanted to do something that was meaningful to me, because I love my sport”he explained in 2021 to West France. Ce “something”, it’s RS Sports, his brand which includes his initials. And it’s a success since the company has diversified and grown. It is present in many countries and offers sports clothing, accessories and all kinds of products in the world of tennis, padel and golf, for men, women and children. A successful reconversion.
Sources used: RS Sports / West France
2024-04-14 08:37:00
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