By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, August 13, 2016
In a match for the ages, Juan Martin del Potro outdueled Rafael Nadal, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (5), to reach the Rio gold-medal match versus Andy Murray.
Photo credit: ITF Olympic Tennis
Driven to tears by his prior Olympic victories, Juan Martin del Potro was embracing ecstasy today—and carrying nearly 10,000 fans along on an epic thrill ride.
In one of the most dramatic Olympic matches you'll likely ever see, del Potro served for the match at 5-4 in the decider only to see Rafael Nadal respond with a rousing comeback to break back then rally from a triple break-point hole to pressure the Argentine again.
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Riding his booming forehand and brimming resilience, del Potro made a strong stand in the tie break fending off Nadal, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (5), in advancing to the Rio gold-medal match where he will face defending champion Andy Murray in the best-of-five-set final.
"I cannot describe this moment with words," del Potro told Bravo Network's Trenni Kusnierek. "It's amazing what I'm feeling now. This crowd is great. They're amazing they have a lot of respect with me."
Four years after del Potro suffered a gut-wrenching 19-17 in the third set semifinal loss to Roger Federer in the 2012 London Games, he competed with defiance dealing Nadal the first Olympic singles loss of his career in pulsating three hour, eight-minute duel that was the longest match of the tournament.
When it was over, del Potro dropped to his back and thrust his arms toward the sky.
After rising to shake Nadal's hands, he trotted to the back of the court to kiss the Olympic rings before diving into joyous Argentine fans and embracing the crowd chanting "Delpo! Delpo!" in a group hug.
The 27-year-old Argentine knows how to rise on the game's greatest stages. Del Potro, who dispatched Nadal and Roger Federer in succession to capture the 2009 US Open crown, opened this tournament stunning world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in two tie break sets last Sunday night.
Del Potro is just the ninth man in history—and first since Stan Wawrinka at the 2014 Australian Open—to defeat Djokovic and Nadal in the same tournament.
Now, he'll try to become the first man since Federer in 2010 to beat Djokovic, Nadal and Murray at the same event.
The man who has endured four wrist surgeries in recent years that have limited his once potent two-handed backhand has excelled imposing an instinctual game plan.
"I try to hit my forehand as fast as I can making a lot of winners with that shot and serving well in important moments," del Potro said. "Tomorrow I will have to play even better than today.
"I don't want to think about that. Andy's a great champion. He deserved to win the gold, silver and bronze. He's gonna be the favorite for sure. "
This was their first singles meeting since del Potro swept Nadal, 6-2, 6-4, in the 2013 Shanghai Masters semifinals, but their second encounter of the week. Nadal and buddy Marc Lopez beat del Potro and compatriot Maximo Gonzalez in the second round of doubles.
The adrenalized elation Nadal exuded after partnering Lopez to win the doubles gold in dramatic fashion last night may have made sleep a fleeting experience. By the time Nadal arrived at today's semifinal he'd spent a total of 16 hours, 46 minutes on court playing a total of nine matches in three different disciplines in the tournament.
All this from a man who endured a 73-day sabbatical from the sport after injured tendons in his left wrist forced him out of the French Open. How would his body hold up against one of the game's biggest hitters?
Del Potro showed no signs of sluggishness breaking to open and backing up for 2-0.
Finding his forehand groove midway through the set, Nadal reeled off eight straight points, breaking back at love for 3-all.
Serving from the sunny side of the court, del Potro ran into dark times trying to force the tie break.
He ballooned a forehand beyond the baseline then ran around his backhand to strike a forehand from outside the doubles alley exposing the court. Nadal wristed a forehand for double set point then played fierce defense as a grunting del Potro netted a forehand to end a physical first set.
Adopting a wider stance when serving to the ad side, Nadal consistently targeted the towering Argentine's more fragile backhand wing. Nadal served only 52 percent, but won 13 of 16 first-serve points and permitted just four points on his second serve in the first set.
Del Potro served 72 percent and thumped his forehand with authority when set, but looked confounded by the Nadal second serve. Both men were grunting with gusto when del Potro stepped inside the line and crunched a forehand winner down the line breaking for a 2-1 second-set lead.
Banging a body serve into Nadal's hip, del Potro served out the second set at 15 to force a decider.
Shade fully engulfed the court by the time the final set started.
Staring down a break point for the first time since the opening set, del Potro saved it with a smash working through an eight-minute hold in his first service game of the set.
It was del Potro's time to turn the screws with a pair of break points in the fifth game. Nadal hit gutsy second serves to set up his twisting forehand, withstanding both break points and pumping his fist furiously for 3-2.
Tension squeezed Nadal and he unraveled in the ninth game. Launching a forehand log, he drew del Potro in with a drop shot only to loft a lob long for triple break point. Nadal spent his final challenge hoping to reverse another error to no avail as del Potro broke for 5-4.
Serving for the final, it was del Potro's turn to tighten.
Nadal angled off a backhand volley winner dancing near the sideline in celebration as thousands of fans bounced up and down right along with him for triple break point. A tremendous running forehand pass down the line gave Nadal a fierce break he tapped his fist over his heart breaking back for 5-all and sending the capacity crowd into mass frenzy.
Del Potro unloaded on some blistering forehands earning triple break point in the next game. Scraping through points, a determined Nadal fought off all three, growing stronger with each passing test, as Spanish coach Conchita Martinez jumped from her seat to celebrate the hold.
Gaining the mini break to open the tie break, del Potro delivered massive forehands to opposite corners of the court stretching the lead to 5-2.
Still, Nadal kept fighting. Del Potro plastered his 11th ace for double match point. A rapid fire net exchange ended with Nadal knifing a backhand to save the first match point.
On the second match point, Nadal opened the court only to scatter an inside-out forehand wide, del Potro dropped to his back and members of the crowd waving the Argentine flag erupted in a euphoric roar. Four years after the misery of his London loss, del Potro embraced the magic in Rio.