By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, September 5, 2016
Juan Martin del Potro became the first wild card to reach the US Open quarterfinals since James Blake in 2005.
Photo credit: AP Photo
NEW YORK—Argentinean fans were singing his name and Juan Martin del Potro answered the chants continuing his comeback chorus.
The 2009 US Open champion advanced to his fourth Flushing Meadows quarterfinal when Dominic Thiem retired from their highly-anticipated fourth-round clash due to a right knee issue.
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Del Potro held a 6-3, 3-2 lead when Thiem tapped out and limped off the court after just 72 minutes of play.
"First of all it is never good to win a match this way," del Potro told ESPN's Tom Rinaldi afterward. "I wish all the best to Dominic. He has a great future, he's a great competitor and I hope he will get well soon."
Thiem said blisters on his toes, which afflicted him in the third round,
"Started two or three days ago I think already. Didn't get that much better," Thiem said. "Yeah, at the beginning of the match it was basically okay, but maybe also because of all the excitement and this. And, yeah, from the end of first set, beginning of second set, it got worse and worse. No other choice (than to retire)."
It is del Potro's first major quarterfinal since the 2013 Wimbledon.
The 27-year-old Argentine is the first wild card to reach the last eight in New York since Yonkers, N.Y. native James Blake in 2005.
The man who made history by becoming the first player to defeat Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the same Grand Slam in his stirring run to the title seven years ago has been adopted by New Yorkers as one of their own.
A day after the last American man standing, Jack Sock, was eliminated by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, del Potro enjoyed massive crowd support and may well be the crowd favorite for the duration of the tournament.
"We have a good connection between the New York City people, between the Argentinean fans, between the American fans and me," del Potro said. "And I really enjoy to play in this stadium it's amazing for me. And I was really sad at home during the last two years when I got injury with my wrist and I was watching on TV. Now I'm here again and I have a chance to play the quarterfinals and that's great for me."
Initially, it looked like del Potro, who returned to New York ranked No. 142 after recovering from four wrist surgeries, was the player plagued by pain and vulnerable to injury.
A grimacing del Potro clutched the back of his serving shoulder after one double fault and briefly consulted the trainer for right shoulder treatment during the opening set.
Ultimately, injury took down Thiem, who pulled up short clutching at his knee after trying to run down a del Potro shot midway through the second set.
It was a painful end to a positive start: The eighth-seeded Thiem assumed a 3-1 advantage early.
Three forehand errors from the Austrian gave back the break in the sixth game.
Starting the match with clarity, Thiem's judgment grew cloudy as he spit up a cluster of errors. Flattening a forehand into net, Thiem gifted a second break and a 5-3 lead.
Undaunted by his shoulder issues and the Roland Garros semifinalist, del Potro zipped a 121 mph ace out wide to seal the 38-minute opener. He reeled off five straight games, including eight of the last nine points.
Rather than use his variety to press the Argentine's weaker backhand wing, Thiem tried strong-arming his way through points. A backhand into the net followed by a forehand that expired into the tape gave del Potro the first break of the second set for 2-1. By then, he'd won seven of the last eight games.
Early in the set, Thiem cringed and grabbed at his knee after chasing a shot.
Del Potro is not only one of the most powerful players on the circuit, he's also one of the smartest. Seeing Thiem was out of sorts and physically compromised, he maintained the depth and allowed him to implode.
Tugging at his right leg between points and struggling to push up on his serve, Thiem went for winners early in rallies in an effort to shorten points. After holding for 2-3 he took a medical timeout for treatment of his right knee.
Thiem tried to continue, but pulled the plug in the next game.
Del Potro has not dropped a set in the tournament toppling 19th-seede Steve Johnson and 11th-seeded David Ferrer along the way. Thiem, who called del Potro an "unbelievable dangerous" player, could not find the former world No. 4's weaker slice backhand wing.
"Of course the forehand is amazing, and also the service is really good," Thiem said. "Backhand probably not like when he was at his best, but I think it's getting better and better. He's unbelievable dangerous player."
After playing just 14 games to reach the quarterfinals, del Potro hit the practice court to prepare for the next round.
"And for my body, could help a little bit. Right after the match I hit for a while again," del Potro said. "I need to be 100 percent in the next round. I'm feeling little tired because I didn't stop after Rio. My body feels that, but I will be okay."
Three years removed from his last major semifinal at Wimbledon, the Olympic silver medalist has a shot to reach the Flushing Meadows final four. Del Potro will face either Stan Wawrinka, whom he upset at Wimbledon, for a spot in the final four.
The third-seeded Swiss snapped at one point, but regained his focus stopping Illya Marchenko, 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-3 in the quarterfinals.
"I don't know if I'm playing better than 2009, but I keep winning and that's import," del Potro said. "And hopefully I can go far in this tournament because I love this atmosphere and I love the crowd and I love to be here in New York."