Del Potro stuns Federer to win U.S. Open

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – Juan Martin del Potro of  Argentina battled back to beat five-times champion Roger  Federer 3-6 7-6 4-6 7-6 6-2 and win the U.S. Open title in a  stunning surprise yesterday.

The 20-year-old Argentine, who stayed alive by winning two  tiebreaks, gained confidence as he moved through his first  career grand slam and charged to victory, breaking Federer in  the last game to end their four-hour, six-minute struggle.

The 6-foot-6 (1.98 m) Del Potro lay down on his back and  covered his tear-streaked face with his hands after the  28-year-old Swiss sailed a backhand long on the Argentine’s  third championship point.

“I had two dreams this week,” the sixth-seeded Del Potro  said at the trophy presentation.

“One was to win the U.S. Open and the other one is to be  like Roger. One is done, but I need to improve a lot to be like  you,” he said, looking at Federer, winner of a record 15 major  titles.

“You fought until the final point. You are a great  champion.

“I’m very happy to be here with this crown, with these  people, on this court … This will be in my mind forever.”

Del Potro became the second Argentine to win the U.S. men’s  crown, joining compatriot Guillermo Vilas, who won on clay in  1977, and was watching the final at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The Argentine had never beaten Federer in six previous  meetings, losing to the Swiss master in the semi-finals of the  French Open after taking a two sets to one lead.
EARLY JITTERS
Del Potro overcame some early jitters and a first set that  saw him struggle with his first serves and heavy forehand in  breezy conditions at the National Tennis Center.

But as the match wore on, the young Argentine began to find  the range and fire away.

Del Potro won the second-set tiebreaker 7-5, and after  double-faulting the last two points to lose the third set,  battled the world number one to another tiebreaker.

The Argentine won that decider by 7-4 to set up the first  Open five-set final since Andre Agassi topped fellow-American  Todd Martin 10 years ago.

Taking advantage of Federer’s faulty serve, Del Potro broke  the French Open and Wimbledon champion in the second game of  the fifth set and cemented his advantage by breaking the Swiss  master again in the final game.

“I got off to a good start and had many more chances to  make a difference,” Federer told reporters. “He hung in there  and gave himself chances, and in the end he was a better man.”

Del Potro had 37 winners off his huge forehand and took  advantage of a poor serving performance by Federer, who  successfully landed only half of his first serves and  double-faulted 11 times.

Federer, whose last defeat at Flushing Meadows came against  Argentine David Nalbandian in the fourth round of the 2003  tournament, fell short of matching American Bill Tilden’s mark  of six U.S. titles in a row in the 1920s.

“You can’t have them all,” he said.

“I’ve had an amazing summer and a great run.”