Robin Soderling of Sweden celebrates after beating Rafael Nadal of Spain 6-4, 6-4, in a Singles match during the Barclays ATP World Tour Tennis Finals in London, on November 23, 2009. CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images

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In his first time playing in London since winning that epic Wimbledon final in 2008, Rafael Nadal looked like a shadow of the player he was then in his first WTF match against Robin Soderling, which was won in straight sets by the Swede by the tally of 6-4, 6-4.

Soderling came off the blocks flying, quickly going up a break for 3-0 before Nadal got himself into the match by breaking back for 3-2.  But Soderling's power got the better of Nadal time and time again, as Nadal struggled to take command of rallies with shots that spun into the middle of the court time and time again.

The second set was more of the same, with Nadal's counter-punching simply not enough to get the job done, even on a fairly slow hard court.  If Nadal doesn't find a way to play far more aggressively this week, he very well may go 0-3.  It's tough to see him beating Djokovic or even Davydenko playing such passive tennis.  Nadal has won only once since Madrid against a top ten opponent, against #9 Tsonga in Paris just this month.

Djokovic and Davydenko, Nadal's aforementioned next two opponents, both looked sharp in their first round tilt against one another.  Djokovic had been picked by many to win this event because of how well he's played of late, but he looked anything but hot in the beginning of this match.  Davydenko took the first set 6-3 and looked on his way to taking the match in straight sets before folding at the end of both the second and third sets, losing the match 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Group A is back in action Tuesday, as Sunday's losers face off in a del Potro vs. Verdasco in a match that should feature enough blazing winners to illuminate the unbelievably dark O2 Arena.  The night session is the headline match of the entire round robin, with 1-0 Roger Federer battling 1-0 Andy Murray for what should be a guaranteed spot in the semifinals.  I'll go with the younger player to win in three in each match.