Del Potro ends Roger Federer's streak to win Indian Wells title
Since upsetting Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer to win the US Open at the precocious age of 20, Juan Martín del Potro has had to wait and wait for his happy tennis endings.
The cumulative effect of four wrist surgeries nearly knocked him out of the game for good. He was on the verge of retirement at the end of 2015, and when he finally did make another comeback, he could no longer drive through his oncefearsome two-handed backhand.
Del Potro has persevered and conquered most of his doubts, but on Sunday, with Federer back across the net in the final of the BNP Paribas Open, del Potro had to be patient again.
The match was on the big Argentine’s racket in the second-set tiebreaker, but he sent his staple shot — an insideout forehand — into the net on match point, and Federer took the hint to force a third set. Federer, unbeaten in 2018, then served for the title himself at 5-4 in the third set with del Potro still ruing his missed match point. “I mean, it’s my shot, you know,” he said. “I never miss that forehand.”
But tennis is a game of abrupt momentum shifts and tiny margins, and though del Potro has had more than his share of misfortune through the years, this turned out to be his lucky day. He saved three match points to break back to 5-5, then went on to dominate the decisive tiebreaker and stop Federer’s 17-match winning streak with a 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (2) victory. “It was worth everything I’ve been through to experience this moment,” del Potro said.
This was the best match of the men’s season so far and a breakthrough for the 29-year-old del Potro, who secured his first Masters 1000 title and his biggest individual victory since the US Open in 2009.
Though Federer is seven years older than del Potro, they have a warm relationship. But for all the camaraderie, this was pure, intense competition and also a particularly fine tennis match, filled with winners on the run, drop shots and phenomenal fast-twitch defence from Federer as he repeatedly half-volleyed del Potro’s huge shots from the baseline or closer to the net.
Federer still leads head-to-head, 18-7, but del Potro is now 4-2 in finals. He also beat Federer in the quarterfinals of last year’s US Open.
All it lacked was a suspenseful thirdset tiebreaker, but Federer’s serve unexpectedly deserted him. He made two double faults, the second to go down by 1-6. And after Federer saved a second match point, del Potro finally shut the window of opportunity for good.
The cumulative effect of four wrist surgeries nearly knocked him out of the game for good. He was on the verge of retirement at the end of 2015, and when he finally did make another comeback, he could no longer drive through his oncefearsome two-handed backhand.
Del Potro has persevered and conquered most of his doubts, but on Sunday, with Federer back across the net in the final of the BNP Paribas Open, del Potro had to be patient again.
The match was on the big Argentine’s racket in the second-set tiebreaker, but he sent his staple shot — an insideout forehand — into the net on match point, and Federer took the hint to force a third set. Federer, unbeaten in 2018, then served for the title himself at 5-4 in the third set with del Potro still ruing his missed match point. “I mean, it’s my shot, you know,” he said. “I never miss that forehand.”
But tennis is a game of abrupt momentum shifts and tiny margins, and though del Potro has had more than his share of misfortune through the years, this turned out to be his lucky day. He saved three match points to break back to 5-5, then went on to dominate the decisive tiebreaker and stop Federer’s 17-match winning streak with a 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (2) victory. “It was worth everything I’ve been through to experience this moment,” del Potro said.
This was the best match of the men’s season so far and a breakthrough for the 29-year-old del Potro, who secured his first Masters 1000 title and his biggest individual victory since the US Open in 2009.
Though Federer is seven years older than del Potro, they have a warm relationship. But for all the camaraderie, this was pure, intense competition and also a particularly fine tennis match, filled with winners on the run, drop shots and phenomenal fast-twitch defence from Federer as he repeatedly half-volleyed del Potro’s huge shots from the baseline or closer to the net.
Federer still leads head-to-head, 18-7, but del Potro is now 4-2 in finals. He also beat Federer in the quarterfinals of last year’s US Open.
All it lacked was a suspenseful thirdset tiebreaker, but Federer’s serve unexpectedly deserted him. He made two double faults, the second to go down by 1-6. And after Federer saved a second match point, del Potro finally shut the window of opportunity for good.