In 2000, Marat Safin stunned the planet with a ferocious display of powerball in whipping Pete Sampras for the title. Nine years later, Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro put on a similar display in wasting six-time Slam champ Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in the U.S. Open semis to reach his first Slam final.
Nadal, who just months ago was ensconced atop the rankings and had won three of the last four majors (the ’08 French, Wimbledon and the ’09 Aussie Open) grabbed the Olympic gold medal and had clearly taken hold of his rivalry against his mighty rival, Roger Federer, has now had his world shaken.
With his knees beginning to ache, he lost a key match to Federer in Madrid on his homeland clay.
Then, the forehand whipping Swede Robin Soderling, ousted him on his beloved Court Centrale at the French Open. He had to withdraw from Wimbledon with tendinitiis in both knees and when he finally came back (after his fab foe Federer won BOTH Roland Garros and Wimbledon) he failed to reach the winners circle in both Montreal and Cincy.
But he looked good in New York, especially when he doused French flame Gael Monfils and the Chilean strongman Fernando Gonzalez.
But another South American, del Potro proved a far different matter. The 6’5” Argie destroyed Rafa’s hope to get to a US Open final by taking to him from the opening bell, sitting on his second serves and nailing down the line winners (Nadal remarkably only won 30 percent of his second serve points), battering him form the baseline (he totaled 20 winner off the ground to just 10 from the baseline master) and served big and intelligently all match long as he was never broken and ate up Nadal’s short returns. He removed any hope of the Spaniard becoming the second player, (along with Federer ) to win a career Slam this year.
It was clearly the worst loss Nadal has taken at a major since he became a big time player and was also strong indication that the once immature Argentine – who was depressed and confused at the Aussie Open when Federer double bageled him in the last two sets of their match – has come of age.
But as well as Del Potro played, Nadal was clearly injured, unable to serve effectively due to an abdominal muscle tear that he sustained just after Montreal. The tear is said to be 15 millimeters long and could require another month off to heal.
“I think he played with a lot of confidence,” Nadal said. I started playing well, but when I played against the wind, I can’t serve a little bit faster and I can’t change a lot of directions. When I was serving to the middle in the advantage [side], and I can say I really can’t serve outside in the deuce [court]. I only can serve in the middle, because if I serve it outside, the abdominal kill me. So when I play against the wind was very difficult. I didn’t had any advantage in not one point with my serve, and with this kind of player, and especially when he’s playing like this today, it’s impossible. So just congratulate him. I think he’s doing really well, and today he was playing much better than me.”
Del Potro turned his year around at this year’s Roland Garros, where he reached the semifinals and took Federer to the wall in five-set loss. While he couldn’t pull through, at least he didn’t play scared like he did against the Swiss Down Under. After Wimbledon, he took off, out-toughing Andy Roddick in both
Washington and Montreal, and only dropping one
match, to Andy Murray in the Montreal final.
He has a sort of hangdog look, plays with a languid pace and is not the most charismatic player on the block, but he’s begun to play clutch tennis at crunch timed and is more than just a straight out power player, able to score sweet lob winners or deliver adept drop shots. All of a sudden, he is peeking against the elite players.
“Maybe this guy has been sandbagging us all the time, quipped Brad Gilbert. “His forehand is a frozen rope. I’m not sure anyone can hit a bigger stroke from a neutral position. He has an easy power about him and uses his height brilliantly and has an ability to come from behind and seems to have everything in place, with the possible exception of fitness.”
DelPo’s conditioning wasn’t in question in his destruction of Rafa and he should be poised for the late Monday afternoon final. Nadal was impressed, but cautioned observers not to get too giddy
“For all the year he was in No. 6, No. 5, No. 7, so he must have enough experience to play the final of tomorrow. Win or not is another thing. I think he’s playing really well, but we will see what’s happen when one guy is playing [deeper] with serving better and pushing him a little bit more than what I did today,
Because I think he played very comfortable today against me.”
While Del Potro is a soft spoken sort, he loves the big top atmosphere of Ashe stadium saying that the first time he saw the building, he decided that the US Open would be his favorite tournament. He’s never beaten Roger Federer in six meetings before, whom he’ll meet in the final and is hoping that his nerves holds up in his debut in the final day of a major. Safin’s nerve held up just fine in 2000, so maybe his will, too.
“I hope to be quiet for tomorrow to enjoy the moment, but could be difficult for me, because I never play a Grand Slam final,” he said. “But I have the game to win.”
Federer’s clinical 7-6, 7-5, 7-5 win over Djokovic wasn’t surprising, not was his shotmaking at the big moment, but his in between the legs corssocurt winner with his back to the net and Djokovic poised at the net was perhaps the greatest shot her ever hit.
“I would think so,” he said. “Even though it’s I think the third or fourth time I hit it in a match now, the way I was able to hit it, with pace and accuracy, it’s something that happens so, so rare. It was a semifinal of a Grand Slam after all. So to come up with that, to get match point against Djokovic here in the semis is amazing, and I think that probably is why, yes.”
Djokovic, who is now 4-9 vs. Federer, was amazed.
“That shot that he hit, you saw the reaction of the crowd. I mean, what can I explain? But it was funny, on these shots, you know, you just say, Well done; too good. What can you do?”
