TENNIS US OPEN:IF EVER there was an example of how quickly things can change in sport then it came at the US Open on Monday night. A year that began with Rafael Nadal winning the Australian Open, and which saw Andy Murray come within a couple of wins at Wimbledon of being world number one, ended with the emergence of a new star, Juan Martin del Potro. The Argentinian broke Roger Federer's monopoly on the US Open by winning his first Grand Slam title at the age of 20.
The parties in his home town of Tandil lasted well into the night after he overcame crippling nerves to beat the man many feel to be the greatest player of all time in five mentally exhausting sets.
Suddenly there is a new man in the Grand Slam winners’ circle. In his forehand, the Argentinian has a weapon that, when it is fully firing, is a match for anybody. The Argentinian’s power means he is playing a new brand of tennis, smashing the ball from way behind the baseline.
For the best part of two sets on a warm, breezy evening, it looked as if the emotional and physical effort of reaching his first Grand Slam final would get to him. However, Del Potro shook himself out of his slump and bludgeoned forehand after forehand to break Federer’s resistance with a 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 triumph.
In a stunning turn of events, the Swiss had to resort to hacking as the match wore on and on this form Del Potro will be a threat at each of the other three major opens.
“I have new opportunities in the other Grand Slams to win, because if I did it here, if I beat Nadal and Federer and many good players, maybe I can do it one more time,” Del Potro said.
“I have many things to improve on. Of course I would like to be in top four, top three, or top one in the future. But I have to play like today many, many weeks in the year. If I still work and still go in the same way, maybe in the future I can do it.”
It is a remarkable transformation for a man who at last year’s Wimbledon was ranked number 65. Four consecutive hard court titles last summer propelled him inside the top 20 and it took Murray to stop him in a tough quarter-final at Flushing Meadows.
Another quarter-final appearance in Australia was followed by a semi-final showing at the French Open, where he pushed Federer to five sets. Since an early loss at Wimbledon, he has been beaten just once. “At the beginning of the match I was so nervous. I didn’t sleep last night,” Del Potro said.
“I didn’t take a breakfast today. But when I broke his serve for the first time, I started to believe in my game. It’s difficult to explain this moment . . . I have dreamed about taking the trophy with me. I did my dream and it’s an unbelievable moment. It’s an amazing match, amazing people. Everything is perfect. I can’t believe it.”
The worrying thing for Federer, Nadal, Murray, Novak Djokovic and the rest is that he has plenty of room for improvement. He already moves well but he can become more comfortable at the net and as he becomes stronger, his stamina will improve.
Federer left New York vowing to bounce back quickly but with Del Potro’s confidence sky high, Nadal expected to be 100 per cent fit again soon and Murray champing at the bit to break his Grand Slam duck, winning a 16th major may not be that easy.
GuardianService
