By Alberto Amalfi | Sunday, November 27, 2016
"It's amazing. I did my best playing for these colors," said a tearful Juan Martin del Potro after a gripping five-set win over Marin Cilic to level the Davis Cup final.
Photo credit: @DavisCup
Throwing down one final thunderbolt serve, Juan Martin del Potro raised his arms in triumph then pounded his palm over the Argentine flag above his heart.
A wave of fans in blue-and-white stripes bounced up and down in the aisles singing "Delpo! Delpo!" waving the nation's flag in joy and wrapping their nation's No. 1 in an audible embrace of audience and athlete.
Watch: Del Potro Delights With Tweener Lob
The ATP's comeback player of the year delivered a Davis Cup comeback of the ages in Zagreb.
In a pulsating clash of former US Open champions, del Potro staged a rousing rally fighting past Croatian No. 1 Marin Cilic, 6-7 (4), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 to level the Davis Cup final, 2-2.
"His comeback is one of the (best) in history," Argentine captain Daniel Orsanic said. "He's a genius. His heart is so big."
That victory set the stage for a historic clincher.
Playing with poise and accuracy, world No. 41 Federico Delbonis swept 37-year-old Croatian veteran Ivo Karlovic, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, sealing Argentina's first Davis Cup championship in history.
In its fifth Davis Cup final, Argentina—a nation that gave the game Guillermo Vilas, Jose-Luis Clerc, David Nalbandian, Guillermo Coria, Gaston Gaudio—has finally realized its Davis Cup dream with a spirited Sunday revival.
It culminated with the entire team rolling on the the blue hard court in a celebratory group hug.
"I try to believe it. This is one of the dreams comes true," Delbonis told Davis Cup.com's Craig Gabriel afterward. "We play for our country. We play with our hearts. We try to do our best and this is what we got.
"For me, it's amazing. I tried to keep focused to do what I have to do. For Argentina, I think it's the best moment."
It's the first time a Davis Cup final was decided by a live fifth match since Radek Stepanek defeated Dusan Lajovic, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1, to lift Czech Republic to a 3-2 victory over host Serbia in the 2013 final in Belgrade.
The 28-year-old del Potro, whose career has been disrupted by four wrist surgeries, had never successfully rallied from two sets down in his career until today.
A member of Argentina's team that imploded suffering a dispiriting 2008 Davis Cup final defeat to Spain on home soil, del Potro played with the perseverance of a man who wasn't leaving Croatia without the Cup in hand.
It was an adventure match that popped with suspense, some superb shotmaking under pressure and massive eruptions from the crowd as both men stared down stress.
Thumping his forehand with more vigor as the match progressed, del Potro went into full warrior mode fighting back from two sets down and from a break down in the final set in an emotionally stirring four hour, 53 minute battle between big hitters.
As Argentine fans, including soccer standout Diego Maradona, stood and sang his name in tribute, a tearful del Potro tried to find words to express his emotions after a heart-racing thrill ride of a match.
"It's tough for me to say something," del Potro told Davis Cup.com's Craig Gabriel afterward. "It's amazing. I did my best playing for these colors."
Withstanding 34 winners from Cilic, del Potro converted just five of 21 break points, but the Olympic silver medalist played with passion and resilience throughout.
Tension tightened in a pivotal point of the match came with del Potro serving at 4-all deuce in the fourth set.
Chair umpire James Keothavong hit del Potro with a time violation. The call, which came after Keothavong assessed a second-set time violation against the Argentine, cost del Potro his first serve.
It also unleashed the beast in del Potro, who drilled a 116 mph second serve winner out wide in response then glared and barked at Keothavong in anger. A livid del Potro incurred an audible abuse violation for that outburst.
The tower of Tandil stood tall in the face of spiking stress.
Instead of distracting del Potro into implosion, the entire exchange fired up the typically stoic big man, who worked through a nine-minute hold for 5-4.
During the ensuing changeover, the supervisor came out to talk to both captains in an effort to stabilize matters. A calm del Potro wrapped his arm around the supervisor's shoulder, cradling the back of his head at one point, while stating his case that he was merely waiting for the chaotic crowd noise to subside before serving.
Unloading on his favored forehand, del Potro struck with a vengeance breaking behind a barrage of shots to seize the fourth set and force a decider.
Cilic worked over del Potro's weaker backhand wing, attacking net and drawing a steered backhand wide to open the final set with a break. Del Potro broke right back to level then banged a serve winner wide to take his first lead of the match at 2-1 after more than four hours of play.
Tactically, Cilic's inability to consistently break down del Potro's backhand contibuted to his demise. Cilic, who lost a two-set lead and failed to convert three match points falling in five sets to Roger Federer at Wimbledon, fought hard but del Potro struck with more conviction at crucial stages and played cleaner tennis.
The sixth-ranked Cilic committed 78 unforced errors, 31 more than his opponent. Del Potro struggled to convert break-point chances, but cranked up his aggression with the finish line in sight.
Energized by the raucous Argentine fans, del Potro continued to hammer away with his forehand drawing a backhand error and an a shanked forehand to break for 5-3.
Serving with command, del Potro sealed the first comeback from two sets down of his career slashing a serve winner wide to end it and put Argentina one win away from Davis Cup history.
Cilic showed class and sportsmanship after a grueling and gut-wrenching loss. Before departing the court, the Croatian No. 1 paused applauding fans in a gesture of appreciation for their support.
Here's how the tennis world is reacting to del Potro's epic comeback.