Del Potro leaves Federer in daze with US Open win
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
NEW YORK, Sept 15 (AP): Roger Federer sat in his sideline chair, listening to the music, gazing into the distance-the glassy-eyed look of a defeated man.
The owner of the most Grand Slam titles in history-maybe the best player of all time-finally lost at the U.S. Open, but not to Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick or even Andy Murray.
Rather, it was sixth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, the 6-foot-6 Argentine with the big serve and the bigger forehand, who did the deed-a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 upset Monday in his first Grand Slam final.
"It's difficult to explain this moment," del Potro said.
That's another way to describe the loss of the top-seeded, top-ranked player, who was two points away from victory in the fourth set in windy Arthur Ashe Stadium but couldn't get his serve to click and had no answer for del Potro's forehand, or his tactically superior game plan.
Thus ended a streak of 40 straight wins for Federer at Flushing Meadows and the quest to become the first person to win six straight titles at America's Grand Slam since Bill Tilden in the 1920s.
"Five was great. Four was great, too," Federer said. "Six would have been a dream, too. Can't have them all."
Federer beat everyone who got thrown at him in his five straight U.S. Open final victories: Roddick, Murray, Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, Novak Djokovic. Big hitters, finesse players, young kids, old men. Everyone. Until he met up with the kid from Tandil, nine days away from his 21st birthday, who had big plans growing up back on those courts at home.
Federer, meanwhile, couldn't get his first serve on track. He got only 50 percent into play after averaging about 66 percent through his first six matches.
The owner of the most Grand Slam titles in history-maybe the best player of all time-finally lost at the U.S. Open, but not to Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick or even Andy Murray.
Rather, it was sixth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, the 6-foot-6 Argentine with the big serve and the bigger forehand, who did the deed-a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 upset Monday in his first Grand Slam final.
"It's difficult to explain this moment," del Potro said.
That's another way to describe the loss of the top-seeded, top-ranked player, who was two points away from victory in the fourth set in windy Arthur Ashe Stadium but couldn't get his serve to click and had no answer for del Potro's forehand, or his tactically superior game plan.
Thus ended a streak of 40 straight wins for Federer at Flushing Meadows and the quest to become the first person to win six straight titles at America's Grand Slam since Bill Tilden in the 1920s.
"Five was great. Four was great, too," Federer said. "Six would have been a dream, too. Can't have them all."
Federer beat everyone who got thrown at him in his five straight U.S. Open final victories: Roddick, Murray, Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, Novak Djokovic. Big hitters, finesse players, young kids, old men. Everyone. Until he met up with the kid from Tandil, nine days away from his 21st birthday, who had big plans growing up back on those courts at home.
Federer, meanwhile, couldn't get his first serve on track. He got only 50 percent into play after averaging about 66 percent through his first six matches.