Juan Martin Del Potro did not have quite enough left in the tank to turn his guaranteed medal from silver to gold. But he had enough to play a big hand in one last epic match at the Rio Olympics. Andy Murray, of course, played just as critical a role.
In a thrilling gold-medal showdown at the Rio Olympics on Sunday, Murray outlasted Del Potro 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 after four hours and two minutes.
“I know tonight’s one of the hardest matches that I’ve had to play for a big, big title,” Murray commented. “Emotionally it was tough. Physically it was hard. There were so many ups and downs in the match. It was one of the toughest matches that I’ve played to win a big event.”
And winning big events is nothing new for the second-ranked Scot. In fact, this is his second Olympic gold in men’s singles–and second in a row–to go along with a trio of Grand Slam titles.
This one almost didn’t happen. After storming back from breaks down in final sets against both Fabio Fognini and Steve Johnson earlier in the tournament, Murray encountered an unexpectedly stern test from a worn-out Del Potro. The 27-year-old Argentine had already survived several grueling contests, including against Novak Djokovic in round one and Rafael Nadal in a semifinal that lasted more than three hours. But Del Potro, who won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, came tantalizingly close to snatching the gold.
He even led 5-3 in the fourth and served at 5-4 to force a fifth but could not get over the hump. Murray broke for 5-5 and struck again in the 12th game to wrap up another gold.
“This will be for the rest of my life on my mind,” Del Potro assured. “I never thought something like that at the beginning of the tournament. It’s even bigger–like a dream. Now I got a silver medal, which means [as much as] a gold for me. I cannot believe I will bring another medal back to my country.”
It was a huge day for Japan, as well, because its most decorated player ever managed to snatch the bronze. Kei Nishikori, who fell to Murray in the semifinals, held off Nadal 6-2, 6-7(1), 6-3 in the third-place match.
Not unlike the gold-medal tilt, this one seemed to have the possible makings of a beatdown. Nadal, after all, had already played five doubles matches to go along with his five singles contests–the last of which had been the energy-sapper against Del Potro. The former world No. 1 looked down and out when he trailed Nishikori by a set and two breaks at 6-2, 5-2, but he roared back to steal the second in a tiebreaker. In the end, however, Nishikori needed only one break to take the third.
“I’m very happy to win, to get a medal today, even though (it’s for) third place,” Nishikori said. “It means a lot for me to especially beat Rafa. I knew before playing the Olympics that if I can play good tennis–good, solid tennis–I’d have a chance to get a medal.”
awesome event
The best match this year! A pity there are no ranking points. Ricky, any idea why ATP stopped giving ranking points for DC and Olympics wins?
Mary W (AT 1:52 PM),
You can read something here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/30/sports/tennis/points-and-prize-money-mean-more-to-olympic-tennis-holdouts.html?_r=0
Thanks augusta!
IMO ranking points should not matter! They should be honored to represent their country!
What an amazing finale! Four hours of roller coaster tennis with spellbinding rallies.and both players leaving their guts on the court. Sad there had to be a loser.
That was a match people… Gruelling contest. I felt so gutted for Del Potro but if he can stay fully fit. The damage he would do in events. Still shows with half a backhand. He is more than capable. Unlucky but awesome event all round. Crowd was like Davis cup
No ranking points from the ATP this time? After all of that. Wow!
can delpo win the us open? looks like he can with the right draw. that would be so awesome. pray he is not in rafa’s quarter.
if he can do so much damage on a slow hard court he can do even more on a faster one where his serve and forehand will be absolutely lethal.
Well let us hope he is in Muzz’s quarter.
he’s currently not in the US Open….
He will be or the wc process will be more of a joke than it already is.
who makes the decision over the wild cards? hawks is dead right that it would be utterly shocking not to give him one. he’s a former champion for heaven’s sake.
Oh…that would not be right if Delpo doesn’t get a WC into US Open. Anyone who knows and follows tennis knows Delpo should be top WC priority for tennis’ sake!
Where do I vote/sign for that??
Lol.. Or Nole’s… ?
lol!!!…?
This is eerily similar to 2009. Delpo was dead beat in losing the Roger’s Cup final to Andy, did not play until USO and won it. Hopefully he won’t play before that.
apparently nishi had a shower during the very long break he took! what next? get a barber in? have a nice relaxing pedicure? they need to tighten the rules up on these breaks.
What?????
The BBC said they would be showing the medal ceremony but it seems they forgot. Cant find any coverage on YouTube.
Does anyone have a link that’s available to view in France?
Is this confirmed info? Not everything that goes around the press is real. I doubt the guy took a shower not least because cooling off is the last thing an athlete would do in the middle of a match. It just makes no sense at all.
old school
“TONY ROCHE, FORMER TENNIS CHAMPION: I was feeling pretty confident and we got involved in a dogfight and a hell of a long match. And in those days at two sets to one you could take a break and go in and shower. The old Brisbane locker rooms you were all in the showers together so there weren’t separate cubicles, so I’m standing there alongside Rod having a shower with Rod. And he looked buggered. He looked out of it and I thought I’ve got this little guy. Went out and Rod being the great champion that he is managed to get out of it and went on and won it.”
God knows what he did but it worked very well! He returned rejuvenated and managed to distract and upset Rafa! Did all he needed to…
Nishi that is…
I heard that Delpo will need a WC to get into the USO.
After his performance at the Olympics I think he has to feel good about his game. But any draw he has will be tough because his ranking is outside the top 100 now.
As for what happened with Nishi. I would find it shocking if he took a shower! I hope that is not correct.
I assume he was gone for a long time and Rafa had an issue with it.
All I know is that this was a week if awesome tennis!
Apparently they took him to a toilet on a different court which is why it took a while.
Sounds like a reasonable explanation 🙂
Nishi played well in the third no question about it.,, he was the better player in the third and Rafa let the nerves get to him…
I just remembered it was Delpo who extended Novak in the semi Wimbledon 2013. This gave Andy a fatigued opponent and the title. Add the 2 gold medals and Delpo has assisted Andy heavily in winning those finals.
If Novak couldn’t put away Delpo in that match, then it was on him. I remember that match quite well and Delpo was struggling with some injury, I think it was his hip. Yet he was able to keep hanging in there and pushing Novak.
Also, Novak is incredibly fit. So I don’t think that argument holds up as to Delpo softening up Novak for Murray.
Murray outplayed Novak in that match and deservedly won, I don’t see why it serves to somehow try to minimize a player’s win.
This kind of exercise is meaningless. As I already pointed out elsewhere it is called the luck of the draw and everybody benefits from it sooner or later so it all evens out. Murray is a worthy winner. He has 39 titles of which 12 are Masters, 2 Olympics and 3 slams. He reached 20 other finals which he lost ( of which 6 are Masters and 8 are slams!). Can anyone seriously try to discount this guy’s wins??
He would have 2 less gold medals and 1 less Wimbledon were it not for Delpo.
Pointless speculation. Why are people always trying to downplay Murray’s achievements…
He would have 8 more slams were it not for Fed/ Djok and God knows how many more but for Rafa who usually stopped him in the semis. Alyssa is hereby awarded hawkeye’s tinhat. Hope hawkeye will not mind parting with it temporarily.
US Open men’s wildcards announced:
http://i.imgur.com/f1nNcNT.jpg
Thanks for that news, augusta!
It is as it should be ?