Shockingly, Juan Martin Del Potro has never won a Masters 1000 title. For the fourth time in his otherwise illustrious career, he is one victory away from accomplishing that elusive feat.
In order to finally lunge across the finish line, Del Potro will have to upset world No. 1 and 27-time Masters 1000 champion Roger Federer in the BNP Paribas Open title match on Sunday afternoon.
This marks the 25th career contest between Federer and Del Potro, with the Swiss leading the head-to-head series 18-6. It is really much more competitive than the 18-6 number suggests, as these two fan favorites have waged all kinds of memorable battles against each other. In fact, without a myriad of injury issues endured by Del Potro this would undoubtedly be one of the best rivalries in recent tennis history.
Federer and Del Potro did not face each other once in 2014, 2015, or 2016, but that all changed thanks to the Argentine’s resurgence last season. They squared off four times, with Federer getting the job done in Miami, Shanghai, and Basel in addition to Del Potro’s 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-4 upset in the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
A much healthier and in-form Federer should be on display now that he presumably is dealing with no back problems. The 36-year-old Swiss went on to capture titles in Shanghai and Basel after beating Del Potro, and doing the same in Indian Wells would give him back-to-back winner’s trophies at the fifth biggest tournament in the world. His title defense has been successful but also rocky, featuring wins over Federico Delbonis, Filip Krajinovic, Jeremy Chardy, Hyeon Chung, and Borna Coric. Federer’s semifinal against Coric was an especially tumultuous affair, as the top seed recovered from a set deficit and from a break down in both the second and third.
Del Potro dropped sets to Leonardo Mayer and Philipp Kohlschreiber earlier in the fortnight, but for the most part he has been the best player in the desert so far. The 29-year-old is coming off an impressive 6-2, 6-3 semifinal beatdown of Milos Raonic.
Still, Del Potro is not as reliable as his Indian Wells results would suggest. He has losses in 2018 to Roberto Bautista Agut (Auckland), Frances Tiafoe (Delray Beach), and Tomas Berdych (Australian Open). Although none of those are particularly terrible, Del Potro was a considerable favorite in all three matches and he got blown out by Berdych 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 during third-round action Down Under.
Not many other players have found the correct tactics to beat Del Potro, which requires a steady diet of heavy shots to the backhand side and the right times to pull the trigger to the deuce court–getting the world No. 8 on the run to his forehand side. Federer is a master of implementing effective game-plans–against Del Potro and against everyone else. The 20-time major champion dug his way out of countless holes against Coric by changing the rhythm of the match, and he may do something to produce a similar escape against a red-hot Del Potro.
Pick: Federer in 3
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This is the final that we all wanted…GOAT in straight.
Fed in three
Del Potro in 3
Fed in 2
Fed in three. Struggled against Coric, but expect him to step it up for the final .
Fed in 1 😋👍.
#1
#GOAT
Roger can change his playing style from an ultra aggressive to wait-and-watch, and Coric cannot. That was essentially the difference in the semis. However Juan Martin is a different animal and can bludgeon even Federer with that forehand if Roger is not on his A game. …… http://www.138mph.com/indian-wells-tennis-roger-federer-wins-ugly-against-borna-coric-to-set-up-the-final-against-juan-martin-del-potro/
DEl poRTo in 3
One thing I’ve always loved about Del Po is that in the biggest matches, he pretty much always competes really well. Whether or not he wins in big matches, he always shows up ready to battle. You can tell by the score lines- if you look back at his matches against the big boys, he almost always takes them to a decider in best-of-three or a 4th or 5th set at majors. I wish more players competed like him against the big guys. Technically, he is one of the big guys, himself! And I mean that both literally and figuratively. 🙂
Del Po has now won the first set for four straight matches vs. Federer. Fed managed to pull out the last two. Getting three come-from-behind victories in a row against Del Po will be very difficult, and the odds are now stacked against him. Can he pull a repeat of his semifinal match? We shall see…. I honestly can’t even tell you how happy I would be for Del Po if he wins Indian Wells. I can’t think of a more deserving guy of a first Masters title than Del Po. Especially if he gets it off of the world #1.
Fed with two of the worst FH misses I’ve ever seen him have in that last game. Fortunately, he hit a couple good ones and an ace. Still, I’m not sure what is going on with his FH today.
Del Potro has hit 79% of his 1st serves in so far. Incredible.
Tennis fascism and populism at its worst.
Hit the reset button.
This match is a good example of why tennis needs to get rid of human line-calling entirely and just go with hawkeye. It’s just a disruption to the play and leaves a bad taste in my mouth no matter the outcome today.
Fcuking crowd cheering UE on match point.
and a whiny federer. Such sense of entitlement. When the going gets tough the fed starts whining
I don’t think it’s entitlement. He just wants to win badly like delpo does.
What was ridiculous was Fed complaining that the ump failed to call a serve that was clearly out, out; and then hawkeye showed it was squarely on the line. But the machine made Fed look ridiculous on its own.
Huuuge whining vmk and yes entitlement exactly along with the adoring fans calling out in the middle of points and cheering unforced errors.
What top player doesn’t “whine”? They all do. They are all whiny, entitled dudes because they competitors. The best players in every sport whine. Tennis should be BK different. When people whine and complain, it’s because they wan to win that much. And that’s what we want to see in sports. But seriously, can you name a true top player who Federer whines and complains any more than. No, because they all do it.
You can not like Federer. Hate him for all I care. But let’s not pretend like whoever your favorite player is is any better than Federer in that department. Because I would imagine you favor one of the big four, and all 4 of those guys equally have their moments of complaining and whining. That’s a fact!
You don’t like Roger Federer. We get it.
I forgot to point out that the above message was intended for VMK. 👌
He can whine all he wants. But do you ever hear him being called out for it. Never. The narrative is that Rafa takes too long, Djoko fakes in the middle of matches, Murray blasts himself
But then just watch for the commentators oohing and aahing about what a great ambassador he is and what a gentleman he is on the court, the elegance, the poise blah blah blah…
Vmk exactly. Its gross and I look forward to the eventual end whenever that might be.
What a set. Del Potro needs to calm it down and quit worrying about the crowd. Even if it’s inexcusable, the umpire can’t stop every person from shouting out. Just deal with it and do your thing.
This match is so entertaining. Watching both guys getting cranky is so much fun. It is what creates rivalries.
I don’t know. I think the tennis is entertaining enough; I can do without the other stuff. It reminds me of the bad old days with Connors and Mac, though nothing nearly as bad of course.
The match is very high quality, with Delpo dictating so much. Fed is having to really scrap. It makes a good change to see these guys get testy. Poor Fergus Murphy is having to listen to it all though.
And seriously, no sign of Federer tiring after yesterday?
Really?
#TurnABlindEye
I hope you realize one day that you are embarrassing yourself with all these PED arguments. Ironically, you and the Fed fans you criticize deserve each other. They cited foul play when Nadal was dominating and here you are sounding bitter daily. Get off your high horse.
Seriously though. Almost 37 and no endurance problems?
It’s suspicious. And I’m not ruling out any player but this is OTT.
It is very suspicious but so were the 6 hour matches. There’s no point speculating though. Neither those performances nor these deserve negative speculation. Either they get caught or they don’t. There’s nothing you can do about it if the authorities want to cover up.
I can call it out for what I think it could be.
Ten times worse for Rafa when even the media were speculating in 2013.
Hawks, c’mon…. It doesn’t feel at all wrong to have (rightfully) complained about people accusing Rafa of doping without a shred of evidence, but then turn around and do the same to Federer? Is it an act of vengeance, like tooth for a tooth, eye for an eye? What’s the deal?
The deal is the deal.
Have you never speculated on players in sport?
Again, I think any of them are capable sad to say.
just tuned in…
oh crikey.
Poor Delpo. He is fighting for his first 1000 pt. trophy. Delpo needs block the noise out if he’s to win. And it’s all the sweeter for him if he can get this vs Federer and the crowd. Come on Delpo, Vamos!
wow flashscore is at least a minute ahead of Tennistv!
Yes, RC, if you’re going to watch tennis tv, don’t have live scores going at the same time!
Juan Martin looks like he’s about to blow a gasket out there.
Fed with an easy hold. He’s really lifted his game this set, even if he’s still making more UE than he should.
Ohhhh no.
Fed to serve for the match. He’s turned it around by changing things up a bit, as he did yesterday. Delpo isn’t quite as comfortable dealing with change of pace and being moved up and down the court. And at 6’6″ playing in the hot sun, he’s starting to tire.
There’s a big bracket win on the line: Mira Andi wins if Delpo does!!
It’s Mira Andi vs all the Federer brackets 😀 Vamos
Hohoohohohohohohohohoho!!….IF rc!!
Hello AM!! I’m rooting for you 😀
Hey hey hey My Queen!!!….Hehehe…Thank u my Smartest pantzzzzzzz!!!!
Wow. What a break back from Delpo! What a match.
I’ll be damned. Delpo REALLY wants this and he could do it if he can break Fed or maybe a small gift from RF? This is good.
Delpo gets the break back…5-5
Here he goes again. Unbeleivable. Now what is the excuse. Senility?
Wow!!! Del Po just saved his own Masters 1000 destiny!
Maybe. It will be very well deserved if he can win this.
And how come Fed still not tired after more than 4 hrs now??He looks as fresh as my daisies!!..I’m scratching my head!!
But…doesn’t matter…
Delpo gonna win this TB. He’s up 5-1
6-1 Delpo
Huge mystery andi Mira.
Yeah Hawks!…I’ve been thinking about this mystery for a long time now…Sorry to all nice Fedfans but it seems….surreal…
It’s bizarre MA.
It must be something if a great, kind and fair person like yourself is speculating and saying so on this forum.
Seriously. Long match yesterday and same today and no sign of breathing hard nor tiring at that age?
Listen, his outlandish talent is undeniable and he may be the greatest of all time – I have no quarrel with that opinion even if it isn’t my own.
But so many, even fedfans, used age and natural resultant degradation as a reason for diminishing stamina.
But not one person is supposed to speculate because of who it is?
Just no.
Yeah Hawks!…I have to say sorry once again to all Fedfans..i love u guys & i know i will feel very guilty to u guys for talking about this..but…i’ve stored in my chest for so long now..i had to get it out…
It seems unthinkable to me..if he is still 30 or 31,32..i can accept it without too much scratching to my head…but he is 36,outlast all his younger opponents in a Bo5 or Masters & still standing strongly & continue his domination for 15 months straight without being tired?I mean,all his younger opponents sweating & breathing heavily after such a long & hard match..in a hot sun?I mean…take a look at Rafa…the season still not finish last year,but his body already failed him….But Fed…Wow!this mystery is mind boggling to me!!
Ditto MA.
Also, the number of injured players at the moment is unprecedented. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Yeah Hawks!me too!
And yes MA, he’s by a huge margin better than anyone I’ve seen play tennis 33 or older. Almost four years older.
A big racquet doesn’t give you limitless stamina at almost 37.
Apparently Fed is 1-7 in deciding tiebreaks in finals, soon to be 1-8. Nerves have got the best of him here.
I;m so happy for Delp-OH!!
Sorry Fed Fans. Not this time.
Mira Andi nailed it!
Hehehe…Once again thank u Smartest Pantzz!…And i would like to share my prize money[i was told upped to 1 Billion this year] with my fellow Bracketeers…let’s go enjoy in an island somewhere guys!Wooooohooooo!!
One small request, MA, the island will broadcast tennis, of course, and have wifi for us to play the bracket challenge 😀
I love Delpo…always have. Happy for him. Also hoping he goes deep in Miami where he’ll have a ton of fans cheering him Vamos Delpo!
RC!…I will buy u a mother of a broadcast & wifi for u guys to enjoy!!Yeehaa!!
But,it’s really interesting to pick a Miami Bracket rc considering he’s playing & winning too much tennis now…Can he do it for 3 straight tourneys?I honestly don’t think so rc…i certainly won’t pick him..there’s so many guys out there who’s got much fresher legs than him…
What a match. This is one of the best moments for Del Potro, without a doubt. Saving three match points on Roger’s serve is very tough to do.
Well done, Delpo! 🏆
Wooohooo!
Vamos Delpo.
Vamos.
Roger loses his first match in 108 days.
Federer can’t find a way to beat Delpo anymore!
Of course he can. He almost managed to do for a third straight time what he did in their last two matches – come back from a set down to win. So I definitely would not say Federer “can’t figure out how to beat Del Po anymore”, because that would imply that Federer hasn’t beaten him recently, when he actually had won 3 of their last 4 matches.
What I have noticed, though, is that Fed definitely does have a bit of a mental problema when facing Del Po in the biggest matches in recent times. Specifically at the US Open last year and now the IW Final. Fed had to come back from a set down against Del Po to win their last two matches, and he was mentally tough to come through those, especially in Basel where he had been beaten by Del Po twice in the final. But that mental toughness did not show quite enough in today’s match, and it REALLY didn’t show up at US Open. Sure, he did really well to push it to a third set and then serve for the match. But he got tight in the wrong moments, and this has happened to him a few times now against Del Po.
Anyway, Del Po is definitely a really tough matchup for Fed, but let’s not pretend like he “can’t find a way to beat Del Po now” when he won 3 out of 4 of their matches before today, and is 18-7 overall against him. I think what you meant to say was, “Fed couldn’t find a way to beat Del Po today.”
Fed was a point from a third straight win. Nadline what are you talking about?
Vamosssss Delpo! You deserved it!
When Delpo played Milos I cheered for Delpo as I knew he could and should beat the maestro of arrogance! And so he did!
Bravo Delpo!!!
Wow. There’s no question that nerves are a factor when facing Del Po in big matches these days. At both the US Open and now Indian Wells, he couldn’t win the biggest and most important moments. I’m just so glad that we have a legitimate rival to Fed right now. At least there’s one!
I am over the moon for De Po right now. He deserves big titles. He will surely get a BIG confidence boost.
Felicidades Delpo! So well deserved!
Also congrats to Mira Andi for her bracket win!
Awww!Thank u so much Ramara!…Let’s go!I’ll buy u an ice cream!
Hey!…U joined Bracket too Ramara?In a jalep wildguess?
Yes to that ice cream!! But, no, I have not joined Bracket. I am terrible at predicting tennis. 🙂 I did pick DelPo to win IW and to win the final but just in the polls. Didn’t want to influence any bets since it was just a hunch.
Grats to Roger for all his success this year but really, the commies drool too much. It’s not like he’s actually played anyone, you know? Well, no one much to play any more and there’s something to be said for being the last man standing, especially when you’re also the oldest man. Really, really hope Rafa, especially Rafa, can come back healthy. But also Wawa and Muzz and the Joker! I want Competition back. And yes, I’ll be delighted if JMDP can keep it up.
Yes!!!…Wait a minute k Ramara!…I have to hollered to RC & the gangs first!…
Hey!…It’s s shame u won’t join us on TDC..C’mon!It’s fun Ramara!..and if your first attempt will not excites u,then u don’t have to do it anymore..besides,u never know whether u sucks at this or not unless u try it first?How about it sis?C’mon!Pweeeaassse!
And yeah!…Really happy for DelPo too for his win!1st masters at the age of 30?Hope he will keep healthy after this so he can collect as many masters as he can…
There is just nothing that feels better than when someone who deserves something so much finally gets what they fought and worked hard for…
We knew this match would likely go the distance, and Del Po showed the most amazing resilience. I give props to Federer for fighting hard himself, but Del Po was too clutch today!
I don’t know about you all, but I hope we get another Del Federer final! Cuz let’s face it, no one who is healthy right now can truly challenge Fed in the big matches like Del Po can, and I want to see good competitive matches. I think Coric also showed this week that if a select few of these younger guys play really well, they can have a shot at beating Fed, at least in best-of-three.
Over the years I’ve noticed Fed has often fallen at the final fence if he wants something badly – particularly when it has meant another entry in the record books. He completely crumbled in the dying stages of the match while Delpo held his nerve and against the odds pulled out the win to lift his first Master’s trophy.
Did he crumble in the final stages of the AO final last year? When he was looking for his first slam in five years? Stop reaching for ways to diss Fed, saying he has crumbled over the years when he has won 20 slams…
Fed does “crumble” at times. At others he soars. Possibly he’s human, not peRFect.
Exactly.
#CrumblePie
@Benny G MARCH 19, 2018 AT 2:40 AM
Read my post more carefully please. Firstly I said ‘often’ and qualified it by addding ‘when he is chasing an entry in the record books’ – which incidentally he was doing last night.
Yes but he was also reaching for a record 18th slam in last year’s AO final
Congrats to DelPo, I didn’t get to see it but it looks like it was a great match – not unexpected since the Fed/DelPo ones usually are.
That this is DelPo’s first Masters title shows (1) Just how much injuries have kept him out of it; and (2) Just how hard it has been to win a single big tournament in recent years. He certainly had to earn this one and he really deserves it.
Huge congrats to Del Potro for an incredible and well-deserved win. Fed made the adjustments needed in the 2nd and 3rd sets, and got himself to where he needed to be, with two match points on serve (and then one more I believe). But Juan Martin was just better on those biggest points, that’s all. Well done!
And you know what is going to happen. Roger Federer will get the sportsmanship award at the end of the year. LOL
vmk, both guys were complaining a lot; I thought both of them should just shut up and play. Why do you think Fed’s behaviour was worse? It’s true that some people in the pro-Fed crowd behaved horribly, but there’s nothing either the ump or Fed can do about that.
Where did I say Delpo was better. I would have said the same regarding Delpo if Delpo were to receive the Stefan Eberg sportsmanship award year after year like the pseudo classy champion does
Well, that award is voted by the players. They might get it wrong year after year, but presumably they are on to something.
For someone who started watching tennis in the 70s, today’s bad tennis behaviour barely registers. Fed and Delpo are good friends, embraced warmly at the net after the match, and Fed was fairly classy afterwards in defeat, saying that delpo deserved to win.
It says it is voted for by the players. But then Rolex and the other corporate giants want the suave, urbane, gentlemanly image of his to be plastered all over the media. What better way then to give him the award.
He has won the award in years he has won/not won grandslams or has been injured, not been no 1 or 2.
It is all in the moment anyway. Djokovic after all his chest thumping (after his victories) was always gracious in his speech but he never got the tag of classy.
But yeah the corporate juggernauts have built an empire on bigger lies. This is a minor thing
For myself, I’ve always found all of big four generally classy in their post-match interviews (the Fed post 2011 USO that you posted is a notable exception, but there are others).
As you say, it’s generally all in the moment. Imo, almost all of it will disappear once the human element is taken out of line calling.
Regarding Fed’s fitness, to my eye there was plenty of evidence of tiredness. He started slow (once again) and his large number of mis-hits speaks imo partly to tired legs. It’s true he seemed fresher at the end than his opponent, but delpo is a much bigger man. At the end of a nearly 3 hour match in the hot sun, anyone his size would be tired.
Sorry for the loss to all nice Fedfans here..Joe,Eugene,Big Al,Benny…But Fed truly awesome in this match too…Tho,i don’t understand his grumpy mood last nite…This is the 1st time i see Fed in this mood..maybe he felt vulnerable against DelPo?
@ Mira. Just in case you want to roll back the times. 😉
You can also go back to the 2011 USO semi final press conference.
But hey, he has been winning the sportsmanship award since 2003 every year barring 2010.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxmIToeLsoI
Nadal has had his fair share of grumpy moments too
But not enough to win sportsmanship awards apparently 🙂
Vmk1 gets it. Well said.
Not to mention when fed bullied the umpire pointing with his racquet that a ball was a foot out and on replay it was on the line.
More peRFect sportsmanship obviously. 🙄
#MirkaCountsTheBallots
Yeah Benny!Agree!…Rafa has had his grumpy moments too!
Ohohoho yes vmk1!…I guess he’s human too!..About Sportsmanship award…yeah..i don’t understand that one too..I mean,plenty of players have the criteria to winit too…i guess,when you’re Roger Federer…good luck will always be on your side…
No worries, Mira! Fed has won plenty, and Delpo’s first Masters 1000 title was richly deserved!
Yeah Joe!…DelPo deserved this win..But Fed!…God!His tennis is still awesome at this stage!There was small margin between a winner & a loser…Like Novak once said..If only we can have 2 winners!
I am shocked Fed double faulted twice in the breaker and lost three match points on his own serve. I would never expect him to lose those kind of chances when serving for it. That said, Del Po’s monstrous forehand and serve and his always incredible fighting spirit were very admirable and he fully deserved the win. So happy for him to claim a maiden masters title!
Benny, the other day I blew a 5-1 lead in the first set of an inter-club match, eventually losing it 7-6 in the TB. In the 2nd set, all I could think about was how I blew the lead in the first set; I lost the 2nd set 6-2.
Even Roger Federer is not immune to the thought that he had his chance, with two match points (then another) on serve -and blew it. That can really mess with your head in the TB, which is probably what happened. Fed may well have believed at that point that del Potro deserved to win the match.
I think Delpo was in a similar frame of mind at the beginning of the 3rd set, after blowing match point in the 2nd. Fed was very close to breaking his serve at the outset of the 3rd, and if that had happened, delpo might have crumbled and Fed run away with the set. But Juan Martin held his nerve, whereas Fed couldn’t in the 3rd set TB.
Anyone else remember the 100 MPH forehand Del Po hit midway through the second set? Just incredible!!
That said. Delpo could burn the clay court season this year especially with Rafa being iffy.
Also did anyone else notice it when Fed drilled a backhand into Delpo directly and with a quick wave of hand go back.
when Rafa did it to Djoko it got so many eyeballs even though Rafa stood at the net until Djoko saw him
To me it looked like the only/best option to hit it at Del Po. Also the same thing for when Rafa did it. Rafa hit the right shot when Djokovic got mad. Djoko was just being a baby when that happened. It’s like when Berdych didn’t shake Almagro’s hand for doing the same thing.
Hitting the ball directly at the player at net is and has always been part of the game. Delpo hit one right at Fed in this match, but Fed volleyed it for a winner.
If you don’t want to get hit by a tennis ball, all you have to do is crouch down and hold your racquet head above the net.
Boom vmk1. Such is the double standard.
Delpo gave him an unbelieving long glare after being hit by such class and sportsmanship.
It’s a ratings award. Players vote in an unverified process.
Nole much more a sportsman in defeat, but he’s not the peRFect one.
“Delpo gave him an unbelieving long glare after being hit by such class and sportsmanship.”
LOL!! Yeah I am sure Delpo’s vote for the award will go to Fed too this year. Just that Delpo wont even know
I don’t think there’s really an actual vote vmk1.
At the very least, I’d like to know the “voter turnout”.
http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/148927128/djokovic-federer-us-open-mens-finals
Some more classy moments. Do not miss the irony of Fed accusing Djokovic of giving up and then not even turning up for the WTF final (where I think he knew a beating was in store considering he showed for DC)
Well classy maybe if you drop the cl.
To Benny G
What exactly are you referring to when you say Rafa has had his fair share of grumpy moments? One can count on one hand the moments when he has been seriously out of sorts on court – usually when Carlos Bernardes has been in the chair.
Unlike your hero, he’s never smashed his racquet, chucked water bottles around the court or made audibly insulting remarks to the chair umpire. Just saying.
One final comment from me on yesterday’s match. Fed really needs to avoid the drop shot on big points, and yesterday reminded me of the 2011 RG final when he tried one and failed on set point (1st set) vs. Rafa.
Yesterday, Fed had three set points on serve, up 5-4 in the 3rd set. On the first (40-15), Delpo constructed a nice point and hit a winner; just too good. On the second (40-30), Fed attempted an incredibly dumb drop shot from the baseline off a delpo missile. Total fail; it would have been much smarter to try to stay in the rally for awhile. The third match point (ad Fed), was the worst. Fed hit a nice deep shot to Delpo’s FH corner, forcing JM to hit a defensive shot which landed short. Ideally (imo) Fed would have followed that first shot into net and hit a volley. He didn’t, but still was in good position to hit a BH drive crosscourt, which probably would have won the match. Instead, he attempted a drop shot, executed terribly, which delpo was onto in a second and hit a nice easy passing shot down the line.
The point isn’t that Fed failed to execute in the big moments. He did fail, but anyone can do that. Rather, it’s that he made bad decisions in the biggest moments, something that imo he does more often than one might expect, given his record. Some commentators described his attempted drop shot as a somewhat arrogant attempt to win with flair, but I think it actually shows a lack of confidence and nerve to go for the clean passing shot when you have a good chance at it.
So many times he can win with his serve, either winner or set up the next shot.Not this time. For him to try dropshots on two consecutive match points is bizarre.