It will be an all-nice guy showdown–and an extremely intriguing one, at that–when Dominic Thiem takes on Juan Martin Del Potro during fourth-round U.S. Open action on Labor Day. A spot in the quarterfinals, likely against Stan Wawrinka, is at stake.
Dominic Thiem and Juan Martin Del Potro will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they battle for a spot in the U.S. Open quarterfinals on Monday. Their only previous meeting came earlier this season on the clay courts of Madrid, where Del Potro’s comeback from another wrist surgery reached new heights in the form of a 7-6(5), 6-3 victory.
Fast forward four months and that result pales in comparison to what Del Potro has delivered of late. The Argentine’s summer features a Wimbledon upset of Stan Wawrinka and, much more impressively, defeats of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal en route to the silver medal at the Rio Olympics. It has only been full steam ahead for Del Potro in Flushing Meadows, with straight-set routs of Diego Schwartzman, Steve Johnson, and David Ferrer.
“I’m so glad to be in the second week [of a] Grand Slam after three or four years,” the 2009 champion assured. “That’s means a lot of good things to myself. Of course, I’m looking forward to keep winning. But my next opponent will be really difficult.”
His next opponent, in fact, has been one of the best players on tour this year. Winning so many matches in the first half of 2016 ended up costing Thiem at Wimbledon and throughout the early stages of this hard-court summer, but he appears to be getting back in gear. The 23-year-old Austrian, who celebrated his birthday on Saturday, needed five sets to survive his opener against John Millman before making mostly routine work of Ricardas Berankis and and Pablo Carreno Busta.
Each of those three aforementioned opponents are baseline grinders who are content to play defense. With Del Potro on the other side of the net, though, Thiem will not be able to dictate play from start to finish. If his tendency to play too far behind the baseline reappears, he will get pushed around by an onslaught of Del Potro forehands.
Thiem is an obvious favorite on paper, but based on current form and the previous contest between these two competitors, he’s the underdog.
Pick: Del Potro in 4
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who ya got?
Del Potro in 3 or 4 – only question mark is when he’s gonna run out of steam. I guess not yet.
Delpo looks in great form but if he gets past Muzz I hope he doesn’t run out of steam in the final ( unless of course he is facing Rafa in which case I wouldn’t mind.)
I’ve got Thiem — had guessed Delpo would be outta steam by this point. Voted as I picked, for Thiem; but will be happy either way. Hope for a close match and good tennis.
I am going with Delpo over Thiem in 3 or 4 sets. I think Delpo still has something left and is playing well right now.
Del Po in four
I vote for Delpo in 4!
Vamos Delpo all the way to the final!
I have to go with Del Potro in 4. Thiem is my boy but against a big serve + forehand combo like Del Potro’s I think he will get too timid on service returns and defensive on the baseline like Ricky stated. Great year for Thiem regardless as he’s going to be in the World Tour Finals!
I think Delpo won’t have big problems to win Thiem. He still has fuel after beating Ferrer in 3 sets so he will win in 3 or 4 sets.
This is a very tough match to call…both players on a roll and playing with confidence, but I like Delpo in 4. Can’t wait to turn on tv at 11:00!!
Thiem in 4 or 5 sets.
I am going with Delpo in 4 sets. I think he is playing really well now.
Delpo four.
now that rafa is out delpo is my favourite to win. think he can beat thiem who is knackered and i hope he does it as quickly as possible. vamos delps….!
Here we go with Delpo/Thiem.
Thiem just had to retire with a knee injury. So Delpo is through to the quarterfinals,
good for delps hey. only had to play one set and a half so nice and fresh. did he look good to you?
Yes, he did look very sharp. Even before the injury, Delpo was dominating. This is a break for Delpo, who can take it easy now.
The only slight concern I should mention is that Delpo needed the trainer to come out to work on his shoulder. But he seemed to be okay, nothing serious.
They just said on ESPN that Delpo is now out on the court practicing. They saw him rubbing his shoulder on the practice court. But if he is practicing, then it must only be something minor.
Next for hm is either Stan or Marchenko. Delpo can rest his shoulder and have a day off before the quarterfinals. They just said that he is the first wild card to advance this far since James Blake in 2005.
ok thanx nny. i fancy him against either stan or marchenko.
good for Delpo, sorry for Thiem…
Vamos Delpo! I would love him to win the whole thing!
Great for Delpo. Why should Nole be the only lucky one? Wish he wasn’t playing Stan but gotta go with Delpo here.