Soderling Takes Lead in Inaugural Tennis-X Euro Series

"I didn't know what it was like to win a tournament and I almost cried when I realized it was over," said Soderling, who was also expected to shed more tears upon realizing he topped the Euro Series standings.

In its first week the Tennis-X.com Euro Series was hailed by fans, players, and industry executives alike.

"It is the tennis fan who will likely benefit the most through greater exposure on television for tennis, for ATP players and for ATP tournaments," said ATP CEO Mark Miles, here actually talking about the US Open Series.

"I'll have to agree with Mark," said Tennis-X CEO Luke Johnson. "The Euro Series brings the spotlight on the European indoor events leading to the year-ending Masters Cup. It's a slam dunk. Each day I manually calculate who is leading the standings, purely out of interest, sometimes out of boredom. Sometimes I'll put on my Andy Roddick matching shirt and hat before I do it, or my Roger Federer headband...I don't have a whole lot to do around here."

In second place in a prime position for Euro Series cash is Belgian Xavier "X-Man" Malisse, the Lyon runner-up, while tied for third are Lyon semifinalists Vince "Vincenzo" Spadea of the U.S. and Spain's Dave Ferrer.

"I'm going to Metz, Madrid, Stockholm, and qualies for Paris. Still a lot of tennis left after a week like this," said Malisse, here not referring to his hopes of staying near the top of the Euro Series standings. "I think I'm in the main draw in Madrid so that will be the priority and then we'll see."

The 2004 Tennis-X Euro Series is a historic achievement in men's tennis that links the nine men's European indoor tournaments after the US Open leading to the year-ending Masters Cup, creating a cohesive, five-week European indoor season. Players will be competing for bonus prize money to be awarded at the end of the Euro Series and more importantly, the honor that goes with being crowned the Euro Series champion.

Three events will be added to the Euro Series standings this week in the BA-CA Tennis Trophy (Vienna, Austria), the Open de Maselle (Metz, France), and the Kremlin Cup (Moscow, Russia). Other remaining events are the Masters Series-Madrid (Spain), the Davidoff Swiss Indoors (Basel, Switzerland), the if...Stockholm Open (Sweden), the St. Petersburg Open (Russia), and the Masters Series-Paris (France), all leading to the season-ending Masters Cup in Houston.

For more info on the Euro Series or to check the standings, point your browser toward www.tennis-x.com.