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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Yep. You can feel it. Now the crowd is getting into it to cheer on Delpo. I also think Delpo is playing smarter now. He was just trying to hit as hard as he could, but now he is opening up the court and being more accurate.
I want to see a good match.
Things looking up at last.
The crowd going crazy. Delpo has another bp. Focus Delpo.
Second serve…S!@#% Delpo over-hitting, keeps blowing his chances.
Ah it would be huge if Juan Marteen could get this break.
Nole giving him enough chances!
RC Good on you girl if i was there id join you, im sure your doing an amazing job, all fine here hun, just got back earlier in the week from one of our camps, my favorite one too, USO hasnt been televised here in GB so havent seen any matches unfortunatly, so just following live scores, i would like Delpo to win this one, as id like to see him get the 1 slam title off his back, but Novak is looking very good again, we will see, have work in the morning so i need to go to bed, take care and enjoy the rest of the match, may the best man win 🙂
My thoughts are with you, always alison and I wish I was at the autumnal camp 😀
Sweet dreams…
Gosh that was was a tough game for Nole to win. Delpo really fought – Nole fought him off.
Anyone knows what is Djoki mad about? Looks like he was saying something to his wife…
crowd
Well I know he doesn’t like all the Delpo chorus I’m hearing. Novak is super sensitive to everything going on around him. Sights, smells (maybe someone smoking pot), annoying drunk fans.
Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Delp-oh Delp-oh.
Hold your serve. At least take it to a tie break!
Del Po turning things around here. Vamos!!
It’s a TB.
Djokosmash makes it 3-3
Vamos
Delpo is hopeless with BP conversion in that long Djoko service game; he would’ve won the set already had he taken one of those BPs.
Djoko’s level has gone down, he’s just grinding out there to win points, but Delpo just couldn’t capitalise. From 3-1 in the TB to 4-5, Delpo is losing it.
😭 Soon to be down 2 sets, Delpo is. Just can’t win hitting baseline to baseline with Nole.
Wooohoo! Unbelievable how nole manages to keep the crowd out of the equation. It is not as bad as 2015 when fedfawns went crazy but there is a lot of support for delpo
One set away
So heartbroken for Delpo. Why is he so desperately going for the winners while Djoko waits for his mistake… 3 bp lost and then 3 FH missed in the tb. You can’t win like that. Djoko is not looking invincible at all. Meak from Delpo…
because he cant outlast him in rallies if he is just dinking the ball
My thoughts exactly! Delpo just plays one dimensional tennis, no varieties, just hitting from the baseline! He’s no Stan Wawrinka, he’s not going to win the baseline war against Djoko, esp when he doesn’t have a proper BH.
It’s sad, that after nine years he’s into his second slam final, yet he doesn’t have a proper game plan against this Djoko, and Djoko is not even playing all that well, just grinding and waiting for errors! Delpo needs a tactical coach, someone who can help him to formulate good game plans against the TOP players. Had Rafa not been injured, I believe he would also grind out a win against this Delpo!
Djoko’s service games are unbearable, how many times he bounces the ball, during first serve and second serve? This is not a good quality match imo.
Its unfortunate for Delpo that the conditions suit Noles game more than his.
who needs 2 dimensions when your one is this good?
Yeah, I think Delpo would win this on a faster hardcourt or even grass.
Yeah. So far Nole has not been pushed to pick it up a level.
The fire and confidence isn’t in Delpo or he would have converted some bp’s. He had plenty of chances.
Wish I has T-shirt like Noles..
Like the kit, too. BA
It looks good in the green or white but the teal blue is the best on him.
He’s giving his wide-eyed look too – super focused. Dang it Delpo – that was a ridiculous point for Novak. He raises his level at will. And eyes on the prize.
Anyway, this final might be over soon , disappointing , but Ive enjoyed listening to Jimmy Connors ,seems he’s a lovely guy now, mellowed with age.
I’m getting sick and tired of the way Djoker keeps trying to get the crowd behind him. And as for the ball bouncing – ugh. I thought there was a time limit between 1st and 2nd serve? If so it’s not being enforced.
Oh Delpo has another bp.
And ED…Nole just got a time violation. He’s had a couple on this NA Swing.
He just waiting till these morons shuts up
Yes I think that’s one of the reasons he bounces.
I thought there was a time limit between 1st and 2nd serve? If so it’s not being enforced.
Sorry for the double post.