Robin Soderling overcame Rafael Nadal for the second successive match as he opened up his ATP World Tour Finals campaign with a 6-4 6-4 win.

Soderling - only competing in London after the withdrawal of Andy Roddick - famously beat Nadal at Roland Garros earlier this year, and his powerful hitting was enough to keep the Spaniard on the backfoot to secure victory.

The Swede opened up the match with an easy service hold which included his first ace.

And his powerful groundstrokes were evident in Nadal's first service game and a shot that clipped the line and Nadal netting a forehand handed Soderling the break.

It was soon 3-0 before Nadal held to get on the scoreboard with a crosscourt winner and an ace.

Nadal took that momentum into the next game as he broke Soderling's serve. A forehand winner gave the Spaniard two break points and despite the first being saved, a Soderling error handed Nadal the game.

He followed that with a love service game, before a powerful game from Soderling edged him ahead once again.

A successful challenge from Soderling - the only man to ever beat Nadal in the French Open - and an unsuccessful challenge from Nadal saw Soderling go 30-0 up, but four straight points from Nadal saw him close out the game.

Despite missing that chance, Soderling began to get on top and after holding to love in the ninth game, he broke Nadal for a second time to win the first set.

The turning point came at 40-30 when Nadal had an ace called out but he did not challenge the call even though hawkeye ruled the ball was in. Soderling then took the next two points to earn himself a set point, with Nadal going long to give him the opening set.

Both players held their opening service games at the start of the second set before Nadal achieved the early break, mainly thanks to two double faults from Soderling.

However, Soderling hit straight back to get to 40-0 on Nadal's serve and despite two errors reducing it to 40-30, Nadal went long with a forehand to bring the set level.

The world number two had his chance to break back again in a marathon fifth game, but after heaping the pressure on his opponent, Soderling defied a break point to crucially hold.

Nadal held to love in the next game, before both players continued to hold serve with Soderling 5-4 up going into the tenth game.

The game advance to deuce, before Nadal went wide to hand Soderling a match point. The Swede went inches long with a forehand but a booming crosscourt backhand gave him his second match point. Nadal subsequently went long to hand Soderling the win in the opening game of the group.
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