• What the Deuce

Soderling must make the most of blistering start to 2011

Robin Soderling has started 2011 in stunning fashion © Getty Images

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Robin Soderling is in the form of his life. After winning in Brisbane at the start of the year and defending his Rotterdam crown last weekend, the Swede recorded a stunning victory over Marin Cilic in the Open 13 final on Sunday to pick up his third title of the year.

The top seed didn't have it all his own way in Marseille - his unseeded opponent took a tight first set on a tiebreak before Soderling slipped through the gears to eventually triumph 6-7(8) 6-3 6-3.

Afterwards, the world No. 4 said: "It's just an amazing feeling. I've won nine titles in my career and three of them are won in one-and-a-half months, so it's unbelievable. It's the best start to a season possible."

Indeed, Soderling's results have been nothing short of extraordinary, especially when taken at face value. So far in 2011, he has won more matches than anyone else on the men's tour - 17 - while he has tasted defeat only once, in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

And yet, despite his exceptional early-season form, question marks remain over whether he truly believes he can break his grand slam duck. If a player of his quality describes winning three tournaments in less than two months as the "best start to a season possible" - when none of them include walking away with the opening major on the calendar - then the alarm bells start to ring.

Admittedly, the fast courts in Melbourne are not his favourite surface and, although he exited before the quarter-finals, this year was his best run at the Australian Open, reaching the last 16 before crashing out at the hands of up-and-coming star Alexandr Dolgopolov. Furthermore, Soderling's struggles on outdoor hard-courts are well documented - of his nine ATP titles, only one has been earned on that surface.

Nonetheless, at 26, Soderling should arguably be reaching his peak and he needs to build on his recent successes, and quickly, if he is to realistically stand a chance of getting to another slam final. It could be argued that the Swede is not a great traveller. He claimed eight of his Tour titles on European soil and, in the only other major outside of Europe, the US Open, his best result is a last-eight finish, achieved in 2009 and last year.

Judging by his previous performances there, the French Open is where Soderling is most likely to land a maiden slam. In 2009, he became the first Swede to reach the final at Roland Garros since his former coach Magnus Norman in 2000 - inflicting defeat on Rafael Nadal for the first and, to date, only time at the tournament en route to the showpiece. Unfortunately for Soderling, he met an inspired Roger Federer in the final and lost in straight sets to hand the Swiss legend a much-coveted career Grand Slam.

Will Soderling be able to add a grand slam to his growing number of titles? © Getty Images

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Soderling exacted revenge a year later, however, ending a 12-match losing streak against the 16-time grand slam champion with victory in the quarter-finals. Two matches later and it was Nadal, unbeaten on clay all season, on the other side of the net and once again Soderling faltered at the last.

Still, 2010 proved to be Soderling's finest at the majors after he reached the final eight on three out of four occasions. Successive French Open finals show he has the pedigree to excel on clay and, with doubts persisting over Nadal's long-term fitness levels and Federer's ability to win another French Open title, Paris on June 5 could be Soderling's crowning moment.

In December, Soderling parted ways with Norman, who wanted to "focus on his personal life", and five days later announced he would begin the new season under the guidance of Italian trainer Claudio Pistolesi - a former coach of Monica Seles.

After such an impressive start to the season, their partnership appears to be flourishing. If Pistolesi can help Soderling add a couple more strings to his bow, to compliment his huge serve and devastating forehand,while instilling in him the belief needed to go that extra step, then a first grand slam title surely awaits the big Swede.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.