Federer defeated the second seeded Robin Soderling of Sweden6-1, 7-6(7-1), 6-4 amid an almost constant drizzle of rainfall on the slow red claycourts.

With the Swede beginning the match by serving slower than in his past matches, Federer exposed Soderling's movement weakness from the start as he executed several winning dropshots to take the first set.

In the second set at 2-1, a man dressed as a clown jumped onto the court carrying a flag near Federer before being tackled and removed by security.

Three aces from Federer in the tiebreaker including ace number twelve of the match on setpoint sent the Swiss ahead by two sets.

In the first game of the final set, Federer broke serve then held to lead 2-0. Soderling would fail to break the Federer serve in set three and would net a forehand return on matchpoint.

“Maybe my greatest victory- or certainly the one that takes the most pressure off my shoulders,” Federer said after the match while addressing the French crowd in their native language.

“I think that now, and until the end of my career, I can really play with my mind at peace and no longer hear that I've never won at Roland Garros.”

“Now that he's won in Paris, I think it just more solidifies his place in history as the greatest player that played the game,” Sampras said.

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