After six straight defeats against Roger Federer, the remarkable evolution that Juan Martin Del Potro’s game has undergone was there for all to see in the US Open final, where the Argentine dethroned the Swiss maestro in five sets to claim his maiden Grand Slam title.
Prior to the final, Del Potro had only managed to take two sets off Federer in their previous meetings, such was the dominance of the world no.1 over the Tandil native.
However, the two sets that Del Potro did manage to take off Federer came in this year’s French Open semi-final, where the world no.6 pushed the 15 time Grand Slam champion all the way before succumbing to the Swiss players experience right at the death.
Regardless of the defeat, the mental scars that Del Potro possessed courtesy of his heavy losses to Federer became a thing of the past.
As Federer went on to claim his maiden French Open crown, Del Potro and his coach Franco Delvin were able to digest another valuable lesson in regards to putting an end to the 28 year old’s winning run against the Argentine.
Despite a poor showing in Wimbledon this year, Del Potro and his coaching staff have gone from strength to strength in re-tuning a game plan that gave the very best players on tour very few problems.
It was an evolution that came full circle at the start of the hard court season, where Del Potro managed to defend his Washington title by defeating 2009 Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick in three sets.
That title gave Del Potro tremendous confidence, as he would later find himself in the deciding match of the Montreal Masters the following week, where he disposed of both Nadal and Roddick en route to his final loss against Andy Murray.
Although fatigue started to get the best of the world no.6 after his performances in Montreal and Washington, Del Potro’s game was fine-tuned for what was to be a Grand assault on his favourite Tennis major.
Del Potro’s serve was now capable of registering free points in critical moments against quality opponents, all the while his forehand became arguably one of the most feared shots in men’s Tennis.
His fitness levels have also increased tenfold, both physically and mentally, and this is perhaps the most significant growth in Del Potro’s game responsible for garnering him his maiden Grand Slam title against an opponent that really has no weaknesses.
Indeed the Argentine’s start in the US Open final resembled that of the shellacking he received at the Australian Open earlier this year.
On that occasion, Del Potro went on to lose 6-3 6-0 6-0, but there was to be no repeat of such a lopsided score line this time round.
Despite being outplayed for a set and a half, Del Potro hanged in there and competed on every point as it were his last.
His effort, mixed with his ability to conjure up some devastating forehand winners at just the right moment, got the Argentine within striking distance of his great rival.
Two double faults which handed Federer the third set however threatened to derail all the hard work that Del Potro had produced against a rival that offers few second chances.
But showing championship qualities beyond his years, Del Potro managed to once again claw his way back and win the fourth set tiebreaker to send the US Open final into a fifth set for the first time in a decade.
Seemingly ahead for the first time in the match, Del Potro showed no mercy to an opponent that has had it all over him in their previous six meetings.
In front of over 24,000 fans at the Arthur Ashe arena, Del Potro broke Federer’s serve twice to claim the deciding set 6-2 set and complete a remarkable transformation from a very promising junior to an elite player now capable of holding his own on the big stage against the greatest player of them all.
And judging from his present form, this may just be the beginning of a success story for Del Potro that will no doubt possess many chapters.
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