Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin Del Potro will be facing each other for the 19th time in their careers when they collide in the U.S. Open final on Sunday afternoon.
Although Djokovic is leading the head-to-head series 14-4, the rivalry is far more competitive and entertaining that those numbers suggest. Seven of their last 10 encounters have required deciding sets and another during this stretch ended 7-6(4), 7-6(2) in Del Potro’s favor (in round one of the 2016 Rio Olympics). Djokovic has won each of their previous U.S. Open meetings in straight sets, but the first came back in 2007 and the second featured one of the most amazing sets of tennis in recent history (during a 2012 quarterfinal contest).
Both Djokovic and Del Potro have recovered from various physical ailments and will be ranked in the top four this coming Monday. Del Potro’s wrist problems have been well-documented for many years, but he is finally back to his borderline best with an outstanding 43-10 record this season. The reigning Indian Wells champion has advanced this fortnight with victories over Donald Young, Denis Kudla, Fernando Verdasco, Borna Coric, John Isner, and Rafael Nadal (via retirement after two sets), surrendering just one set to Isner along the way.
“I cannot believe that I will have a chance to play another Grand Slam final here, which is my favorite tournament,” Del Potro noted. “So it will be special to me…. I think I’ve been doing a good tournament. And in the final, anything can happen. If I win, great. If not, I (have) been playing a great tournament and I will be happy anyways.”
Djokovic’s woes, of course, were more recent and shorter-lived. The 13-time Grand Slam champion missed the second half of 2017 and struggled through the first four months of his 2018 comeback, but he picked up the pace with a quarterfinal performance at the French Open, a runner-up showing at Queen’s Club, and a fourth Wimbledon title. Djokovic is 12-0 in his last 12 matches with a triumph in Cincinnati and U.S. Open wins at the expense of Marton Fucsovics, Tennys Sandgren, Richard Gasquet, Joao Sousa, John Millman, and Kei Nishikori. The world No. 6 dropped sets to Fucsovics and Sandgren but has since raised his level to a significant extent.
“It will be a difficult match because we are close friends,” Del Potro explained. “For sure we both want to win. But Novak has won the Wimbledon already. He’s playing so good. He will be the favorite to win on Sunday. But I don’t know. When I played Roger (Federer) nine years ago he was the favorite to win, as well. I will try to make the surprise again.”
Djokovic won’t be caught by surprise.
“He was always a top-five player in the eyes I think of everyone,” the former world No. 1 said of Del Potro. “Even when he dropped his ranking and started to work his way up, we all knew that he has a capacity and a quality to get to the point where he is at the moment. It was just a matter of time.
“I saw today before the match against Nadal a stat that he’s the player that made most wins against No. 1s of the world. That shows the quality that he has, especially in the big matches. He’s a big-time player; he’s a big-match player; he’s a Grand Slam winner. He’s playing tennis of his life, without a doubt, in the last 15 months.”
Three of Del Potro’s four wins over Djokovic have come while playing for Argentina (two in the Olympics, one in Davis Cup) and a similar atmosphere should be in the cards on Sunday, when Del Potro will undoubtedly be the crowd favorite–led by the “Tandil Twelve,” his rowdy box of fans from his hometown.
While Djokovic is the favorite on paper, Del Potro has been the best and certainly most consistent player in brutally hot conditions throughout this tournament. It just feels like it is once again his time.
Pick: Del Potro in 5
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Djokovic in 3.
Del Potro in 4.
If it goes 5 Novak Wins.
Delpo in four sets. Djoko hasn’t met anyone who could hit through the court the way Delpo could at this USO. It could have been Cilic but Cilic as usual played erratically and lost to Kei. His other opponents played into his hands, engaging in rallies and trying to beat him from the baseline. They don’t have the firepower of Delpo.
I hope you’re right. Go Delpo!
Would be great if Delpo could pull out the win but Novak will not let hin I am afraid…
Novak in 4
I have said all year that if rafa couldn’t win the slam he was competing for then I really wanted Delpo to win. I honestly think he can win and I would love to see him holding his first slam trophy in nearly 10 years!! He absolutely deserves it!
Vamos Delpo!!
Nole in 4 or less.
Correction: Nole2.0
Djokovic in 3 or 4
Will be there to support Delpo. I hope he pulls it off.
On paper, Nole.
Delpo will hold the trophy after gruelling 5 sets.
Ditto.
Nole in 4
JDP in 4…can’t wait to see it…a deserving twosome to meet in the Cship.
Delpo to hit through djokovic in 5 insane sets
Djoker in four
How ppl underestimate Novak, nothing new in fckng Western Mainstream medias. Djokovic in 3, maximum 4 sets. History will be written. Djoksa on his way to GOAT.
I really hope Del Po wins. It would be so satisfying to see him win his second US Open a whole nine years later after all he’s been through with the injuries. I’ve always been of the opinion that Del Po would have been #1 in the world at some point if he hadn’t been injured. The level he displayed to beat Nadal and Federer at US Open 09 at just 20 years old was ridiculous. The awesome thing is that he is still 29 so still has time to do so many great things (on top of all the incredible accomplishments he already has). Vamos Del Po!!!!
No, he will be 30 this end September,so he’s not young anymore.
I’m not saying he’s young. I’m saying he still has time. Just look at what Stan has done in his thirties.
Delpo in 4
DelPotro is one of my favourite players. I have to admit my mistake, by predicting that A.Zverev will advance further than Delpo at this slam.
It’s hard to see the Argentine winning against Djoko. I hope he’ll have a great day and fight with the same dedication he did at the Olympics.
I love Delpo, nearly as much as Novak 🙂 My fav. 2 of the last ten years. The Nole against Nishikori reminded me of the Novak of 2014-2015. Unfortunately for Delpo, I feel when Novak is playing like this it will be very very tough to beat him. Nole is gonna go to Delpo’s backhand as much as he can. Nole in 4.