Rafael Nadal dumped out by Robin Soderling!

ohh my luby Rafael Nadal. i love u! ;]

On French Open 2009, Rafael Nadal dumped out by Robin Soderling. Soderling's stunning victory came just a month after he'd won only one game in a 6-1, 6-0 rout at the Rome Masters, his third defeat in three matches against the world No 1.

Nadal's first set loss was the first time he had dropped a set in the tournament since the 2007 final against Roger Federer, ending a run of 32 in a row.

The Spaniard was reeling from the outset at the hands of a man whom he'd accused of being one of the most unpopular players in the locker room after an acrimonious Wimbledon clash two years ago.

Nadal was broken in the fourth game as 23rd seeded Soderling went to 4-1 ahead and again in the crucial eighth as the free-flowing, uninhibited Swede continued to find the corners with devastating accuracy.

The 24-year-old deservedly claimed the opening set when the champion netted a backhand.

Nadal, despite missing his usual fluency and rattled by the unrelenting assault, broke for the first time to lead 2-1 in the second set only to surrender his advantage in the 10th game.

With most people inside Court Philippe Chatrier expecting a Nadal drive to fly past the big Swede, Soderling executed a fine backhand volley to go to 5-5.

Despite those heroics, Nadal ran away with the tiebreaker to level the match when, for once, Soderling's forehand missed its target and flew long.

The Swede, coached by compatriot and 2000 finalist Magnus Norman, refused to yield, breaking to lead 4-3 before backing it up for a 5-3 advantage in the third set.

He took the set when Nadal netted another weary forehand off yet another deep Soderling drive.

Nadal broke to lead 2-0 in the fourth set, but Soderling hit back immediately as another tiebreak loomed where the gallant Swede clinched his famous win on a second match point when Nadal went wide with a pickup.

His reward is a matchup with either Russian 10th seed Nikolay Davydenko or Fernando Verdasco, the eighth-seeded Spaniard for a place in the semi-finals.