Eight years later, Roger Federer and Juan Martin Del Potro are finally set for an encore at the U.S. Open.
Federer and Del Potro, who squared off in one of the tournament’s most memorable title matches back in 2009, will be facing each other for the 22nd time overall when they clash during quarterfinal action on Wednesday. Although the Swiss leads the head-to-head series 16-5, the high point of Del Potro’s career came in this matchup when he lifted the trophy in New York with a 3-6, 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 triumph.
That result is simply a sampling of their list of epics. Federer prevailed in five sets on his way to the 2009 French Open title, stormed back from two sets down at Roland Garros in 2012, and survived 19-17 in the third at the 2012 London Olympics. From that 2012 battle on the red clay of Paris through the end of 2013, these two friendly rivals played seven consecutive matches that went to final sets–four won by Federer and three by Del Potro.
Speaking of final sets, Del Potro produced an improbable and dramatic performance on Monday just to give himself another shot at the 19-time Grand Slam champion. Looking like “death” due to illness (in the words of commentator Darren Cahill), the 28-year-old Argentine appeared to be down and out after listlessly dropping the first two sets against Dominic Thiem. But out of nowhere, and with some help from Thiem at times, Del Potro roared back for a 1-6, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-4 victory.
“I [played] one of the epic [matches] of my career here in the U.S. Open, which is my favorite tournament, in front of a great crowd,” the No. 24 seed said afterward. “I’m so glad to go through.”
Federer echoed similar sentiments after each of his first two rounds, glad merely with getting through even though his performances were out of the ordinary. Clearly due to a lingering back issue, the 36-year-old needed five sets to scrape past both Frances Tiafoe and Mikhail Youzhny. Feeling better and once again getting into a grove as an event progressed, Federer raised his level to oust both Feliciano Lopez and Philipp Kohlschreiber in straight sets.
Thus after a total of 30 total sets played between them, another Federer-Del Potro showdown is here.
“Everybody loves him,” Del Potro said of his upcoming opponent. “(It) is going to be (an) interesting match. It will be after eight years again in the [center] court of this tournament. I know how to play if I want to win, but I will see how physically I feel after this battle. But always (it) is a pleasure to play the greatest guy [in] history.”
“It’s just really nice to see him back playing these kind of matches,” Federer added. “That’s what he came back for, to get crowd support the way he got it. We could even hear it on center court…. He’s a good guy. I know him well. So I’m really happy for him. It’s a good match to look forward to; reminds me clearly of the 2009 finals that we had, which was an epic. I hope we can produce another good one.”
There are two obvious roadblocks that could prevent another good one from happening: Del Potro’s health and Federer’s back. A day off, however, should cure whatever ailed the Argentine, and Federer has looked much better in his last two matches–even though he needed a brief visit from the trainer against Kohlschreiber. If both former champions are 100 percent, an edge goes to Federer based on his showings in rounds three and four combined with Del Potro’s grueling contest against Thiem.
Pick: Federer in 4
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