It was like an over-hyped movie that laid an egg at the ticket counters.
We are referring to Robin Soderling's performance at the 2010 Chennai Open, which can otherwise be described in just one word: pathetic.
A top billing in the weakest of the three tournaments this week, a favourable draw, huge hype and unconditional fan support, including a contingent that had come all the way from Sweden.
Yet, Soderling flattered to deceive, losing his opening round game on Tuesday in straight sets 6-4, 7-5 to American Robby Ginepri. It also ensured the tournament, which has been a graveyard for top seeds, lived up to its reputation.
Asked what went wrong, Soderling summed it up in a single word. "Everything," he said.
"I have not played this bad for a very long time."
The Swede has everything big about his game -- big serves, big forehands and big groundstrokes. Only if he had a bigger temperament!
Considering the way his career is heading, it won't be a surprise if he joins an elite league of players like Goran Ivanisevic, Marat Safin, Richard Krajicek, Carlos Moya et al who all had much talent but fewer results to back that.
Soderling has a few upset wins up his sleeve alright, but any player, on any given day, is capable of upsetting the Swede, the latter's form notwithstanding.
On Tuesday, Ginepri proved it yet again.
It is imperative here to clarify that the American is in no way a lesser talent, having a semi-final appearance at the US Open to his credit.
But what matters more is the fact that his peak phase happened five years back (in 2005) and Soderling is having the best phase of his career now.
The match per se was disappointing to begin with.
In a first set that went with serve for the first six games, it was the American who drew first blood, breaking the Swede in the seventh game to lead 4-3.
Soderling appeared totally out of sync and hardly made an effort to dictate play.
On the contrary, it was the American who called the shots, albeit benefitting from the Swede's generosity (read increasing unforced errors).
Thereafter in the set the Swede appeared resigned and ready to try his fortune in a three-setter.
Ginepri sealed the set in the tenth game with an ace and put Soderling on the back foot in the first game of the second, holding three break-points to begin with.
But the Swede saved all and pocketed the game with two successive aces.
For the next four games, Soderling lived up to the hype he had created, dominating the proceedings to take a 4-1 lead.
The Swede broke Ginepri to love in the second game, the first and eventually only time in the match that he did that, and held at love to win the next.
He had two further break-points on Ginepri's serve in the fourth but failed to capitalise on them.
The American got his opportunity to break back in the seventh courtesy a series of overhead misses by Soderling.
Ginepri had, by then, realised Soderling was having problems playing the overhead and he tried to take advantage of the frailty offering the Swede another overhead option.
Soderling, on this occasion, waited for the ball to drop but still hit the ball long to allow Ginepri the break back.
The Swede had a couple of break-points in the next but squandered them both to allow the American level at 4-4.
The ninth game of the second set was the best service game Soderling played -- holding it to love with a couple of aces.
And in the 11th he played his worst, getting broken at love. That handed the American a 6-5 lead and he completed the formality in the next.
"I didn't know what to expect from him," admitted Ginepri later. "He had a lot of confidence coming into the match but I returned his serve well and that made the difference."
There were adequate explanations later, that Soderling was tired, he didn't get enough time to adjust -- with even Ginepri admitting that he had adjusted better having arrived here last Thursday.
But the hard fact was that the Swede had succumbed, and in doing so ensured the tournament lost its biggest player in the first round yet again.
