There's Only One Way Del Potro Can Win Tonight vs Federer

[scoop]

By Scoop Malinowski

You can talk all you want about forehands, backhands, serve percentages, etc etc etc. You can talk all you want about technical tennis aspects and tactics regarding tonight’s epic Roger Federer vs Juan Martin Del Potro showdown. But none of it matters.

There is only one thing that matters tonight and one factor that will determine the outcome of Roger vs Delpo.

It’s all about how many Argentines can pack Arthur Ashe Stadium tonight and sing and chant and inspire their hero to another epic victory, like the one he performed on grandstand two nights ago against Dominic Thiem from two sets down.

Del Potro is beloved around the world by all tennis fans but he is even more special to his own people of Argentina. And Del Potro raises his level to another dimension when his Argentine supports are with him inside a stadium. Del Potro hears the love, feels the passion and then he creates his tennis magic. The Del Potro magic is a priceless element that the USTA is trying to create will millions of dollars of funding and player development.

Juan Martin Del Potro does not need to play his best tennis tonight to beat Roger Federer. He needs Ashe Stadium to be filled with about ten thousand Argentines dressed in blue and white and singing their magic songs. If the Argentines arrive tonight and fill Ashe stadium with their magical energy and the power of love, there is no way Del Potro will lose.

 

[Front242]

You'll probably never see a single tennis match where there is less support for Federer over anyone. Roger just needs to exploit Juan's compromised backhand and put him out of his misery. If he allows Del Potro hit with his forehand often it's his own fault. Shouldn't lose to a guy with practically no backhand though.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I do admit that the atmosphere was special in the match against Thiem. But, it won't be the same today. There will be
many more fans of Roger than that of JMDP.

Once Roger jumps on with a lead, all the Argentinians will be quiet and there will be no further magic.

 

[DarthFed]

The support was fairly even in Miami and Del Po always gets a lot of support there. The crowd will be for Fed but the loudest individual fans will be for DP of course. There is only one man the NYC crowd wants to win this title. The one whose pissed away many USO's starting in 2009 vs. DP. It's past time for Roger to win another USO.

 

[mrzz]

the Argentinians will be quiet

What?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

What?

Not voluntarily, but in a resigned mood.

 

[Denis]

You'll probably never see a single tennis match where there is less support for Federer over anyone. Roger just needs to exploit Juan's compromised backhand and put him out of his misery. If he allows Del Potro hit with his forehand often it's his own fault. Shouldn't lose to a guy with practically no backhand though.

Exactly this. The compromised backhand will be the reason dp loses tonight. Even if he could hit it properly it would have been a tall task. Dps only hope is Feds age and physical condition.

 

[mrzz]

Not voluntarily, but in a resigned mood.

There is a fundamental law in the universe which states that once an Argentinian gets into a stadium, he makes the noise of 100 hundred ordinary people. There are youtube videos of three janitors cleaning the stands of "La Bombonera" in Buenos Aires and you think that there are a half a dozen army choirs in there.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Del Potro was amazing last night. When he is at his A PLUS level he is unbeatable. UN BEAT UBBLE. His win last night actually followed my prediction. The Argies were there in the Ashe Stadium crowd but they were silent until 5-5 in the first set when they suddenly started singing their songs. And guess what? Delpo responded by winning the next two games for 7-5. The Argies, who were collected up in the left corner upper seats, were curiously silent again through the second set and all the way to 3-4 in the third set tiebreaker after Delpo got back the mini break they sang again and Delpo responded though he lost the point for 5-3 by netting a cross court forehand but he did respond by saving three set points and finally winning the tiebreaker. It was incredible how the Argies were so selective with when they made their presence felt and even more so how it clearly uplifted and inspired Delpo's play. It's as if they are very clever and careful and preserve their magic for just the right moments when they know it will do the trick. Because the singing Olay olay thing always works, at least it was perfectly effective last night. Delpo took the fourth set barely. Twenty minutes after the match I heard the singing out front by the fountain. My conclusion on the night is that Del Potro could be unbeatable and the greatest player in history when he is working on all cylinders and playing his very best A plus game it is just too much for even Fed, Rafa or Djokovic or Andy. But we rarely see Delpo reach that optimum point of play because it is so rare and magical and special for him to reach that level of absolute genius and Tyson like power precision. What a match it was, and one of the all time greatest US open night matches.

 

[The Strokes]

NOnsense.

Fed sucked.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Fed was superb last night but Delpo was even more superb. Federer could have easily won the first set from 5-5 but Delpo pulled a couple of rabbits out of his hat and that was that for 7-5. Fed ruled the second and had the set points in the third but again Delpo manufactured the magic again and stole the third set. The fourth set was another nailbiter but once again Delpo was just a fraction better. The Fed miss on the volley at duece in the last game was a byproduct of the stress and pressure Fed was feeling because of how well Delpo was playing. I really think Fed was at his best but it doesn't matter because when Delpo is at his best he's the most potent lethal force in tennis. Ask Rafa and Djokovic. I really believe Delpo at his best has too much power and he is capable of blasting Rafa Fed and Djokovic off the court with his power, regardless of how well they may be playing. It just does not matter. Delpo's explosive power is like Sampras' second serve, when it's operating at full capacity, nobody can do anything about it.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Duke, embarrassing errors happen when you are getting pounded like a punching bag by the heaviest hitter in tennis history. Fed was dazed and confused by the power and in the moments of truth he crumbled like a crumb cake. Full credit to Delpo.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Dan, I think Delpo is rope a doping Rafa. Just like a rope a doped everyone by pretending his backhand was inferior. It looked as good as it ever has last night. Delpo just did what Nadal has failed to do all year, he beat Fed. I think Delpo is going to manhandle Rafa like he did in the Olympics and in Miami that one year. I see Delpo riding this tidal wave of an emotional high following beating Federer. Huge psychological win for Delpo last night. The title is his.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Doug, I think we all knew Delpo was going to eventually regain his winning ways. Wrist surgeries are pretty common in tennis. I was more impressed by the comebacks of Capriati, Muster, Baker, Dokic and Kimiko Date.

 

[DarthFed]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Del Potro was amazing last night. When he is at his A PLUS level he is unbeatable. UN BEAT UBBLE. His win last night actually followed my prediction. The Argies were there in the Ashe Stadium crowd but they were silent until 5-5 in the first set when they suddenly started singing their songs. And guess what? Delpo responded by winning the next two games for 7-5. The Argies, who were collected up in the left corner upper seats, were curiously silent again through the second set and all the way to 3-4 in the third set tiebreaker after Delpo got back the mini break they sang again and Delpo responded though he lost the point for 5-3 by netting a cross court forehand but he did respond by saving three set points and finally winning the tiebreaker. It was incredible how the Argies were so selective with when they made their presence felt and even more so how it clearly uplifted and inspired Delpo's play. It's as if they are very clever and careful and preserve their magic for just the right moments when they know it will do the trick. Because the singing Olay olay thing always works, at least it was perfectly effective last night. Delpo took the fourth set barely. Twenty minutes after the match I heard the singing out front by the fountain. My conclusion on the night is that Del Potro could be unbeatable and the greatest player in history when he is working on all cylinders and playing his very best A plus game it is just too much for even Fed, Rafa or Djokovic or Andy. But we rarely see Delpo reach that optimum point of play because it is so rare and magical and special for him to reach that level of absolute genius and Tyson like power precision. What a match it was, and one of the all time greatest US open night matches.

I can appreciate the enthusiasm but we must be watching a different sport. DP and Fed both played pretty crappy through three sets. DP was magnificent in the 4th but as is often the case when a player is given a gift in a pivotal third set they usually run away with it in the fourth. The crowd and DP didn't cause Fed to go full out clown mode in that TB when he had 4 set points. And they also didn't cause Fed to miss the easy put away volley at 30-30 by what had to be at least 15 feet. If either player was playing well the first few sets we would have had a straight set breeze on our hands. As it was it turned out to be an underwhelming 4 set match. One of the all-time great night matches? Seriously???