Posted by
air jordan on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 2:28:34 AM
NEW YORK -- The game's next big thing announced himself Monday
night in New York City.
But Juan Martin del Potro has been on the fast track for some time now.
The 20-year-old Argentine was the youngest player in the year-end Top 10 in
2008, the youngest
Air Jordan
Shoes player in the year-end Top 50 in 2007, the youngest
player in the year-end Top 100 in 2006 and the youngest player in the year-end
Top 200 in 2005. But those are merely numerical landmarks. Del Potro entered a
whole new category in New York:
He slayed Roger Federer at the U.S. Open.
Del Potro's stunning 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2
victory -- the match lasted 4 hours and 6 minutes -- was Federer's first loss
at the Open since 2003, a span of 41 matches and 2,200 days. It was also del
Potro's first win over the Swiss star in seven tries. Most impressive of all,
del Potro became the first player to defeat Rafael Nadal and Federer in
back-to-back matches at a Grand Slam tournament. "I thought he hung in
there and gave himself chances, and in the end was the better man," said
Federer.
It was a remarkable display of power tennis from del
Potro, who seemingly flicked a switch in the middle of the second set after a case
of nerves in the opener.
But perhaps we should have seen this coming. Del Potro is
17-1 since Wimbledon and responsible for Nadal's worst defeat in a Grand Slam,
a 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 semifinal rout on
Michael Jordan Shoes
Sunday. Marat Safin, who beat Pete Sampras at the 2000 Open, was
the last No. 6 seed to win the Open title. But that win came in a blowout; Del
Potro defeated Federer in one of the epic U.S. Open finals.
"It's difficult to explain this moment," Del
Potro said. "You know, since young I dream with this and take trophy with
me. You know, I did my dream, and it's unbelievable moment. It's amazing match,
amazing people. Everything is perfect."
Federer was playing in his 22nd Grand Slam final and going
for his 16th major title. He was also bidding to become the first male player
since Bill Tilden to win six successive U.S. titles.
"Five was great, four was great," Federer said.
"Six would have been a dream, too. Can't have them all. I've had an amazing
summer and a great run. I'm not too disappointed just because I thought I
played another wonderful tournament. Had chances today to win, but couldn't
take them."
Federer had his chances early. Del Potro was frayed with
nerves from the first ball and soon possessed the body language of a patron in
a Buenos Aires
café following a
Silver
Jewelry loss by the national soccer team. "The
beginning of the match I was so nervous," del Potro said. "I can't
sleep last night. I don't take a breakfast today."
And Federer had his lunch early. He broke the 20-year-old
on his sixth break point in the second game, hitting an otherworldly
cross-court forehand winner that prompted his father, Robert Federer, to
leap from his seat. Federer dispatched del Potro in 40 minutes to win the
opening set, but the two went to a tiebreak in the second when del Potro
smacked a forehand winner to break Federer while trailing 4-5. Prior to losing
the second set tiebreak, Federer had been 18-3 in major championship
tiebreakers and 4-0 in tiebreaks in the Open final.
The crowd was filled with celebrity Fedophiles -- the
guests in his friends box included rockers Gavin Rossdale, Gwen
Stefani and his ultimate celebrity groupie, Vogue editor Anna Wintour
-- but you could also make out plenty of del Potro supporters around Arthur
Ashe Stadium, including Guillermo Vilas, the last U.S. Open champion
from South American. What they all saw was a surprisingly tension-filled match.
So much so that Federer cursed at chair umpire Jake Garner (on national
television) after the ninth game of the
Wholesale
Watches third set. Upset that del Potro was taking too long
to challenge a point, Federer barked, "No, no, no. I wasn't allowed to
challenge after two seconds. The guy takes, like, 10. Every time. You can't
allow that stuff to happen. Do you have any rules in there, or what?" When
Garner told him to settle down, Federer channeled his inner Serena Williams.
"Stop showing me your hand, OK? Stop telling me to be quiet, OK?,"
Federer said. "When I want to talk, I talk. I don't give a s**** what you
said. I say he's waiting too long. ..."