Yes of course Juan Martin Del Potro makes this list, how could he not? The mercurial Argentine made his long awaited return to the tour in Delray Beach, and played selectively until appearing consistently at the end of the season. At the Olympic Games in August, Delpo player three outstanding matches, in victory against Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, and in defeat against Andy Murray. It is the match with Nadal in the semi-finals that we feature here.
Juan Martin Del Potro defeats Rafael Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 7-6, Olympics Games semi-finals.
Even before the tennis started this match had everything. The history between the two players is already enough for a book, with a number of high profile, high quality encounters. Del Potro defeated Nadal en route to his maiden Grand Slam title in New York in 2009 (later becoming the first man to defeat both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the same Grand Slam tournament when he defeated Federer in the final). Nadal earned revenge with a Wimbledon win and Davis Cup Final triumph in 2011.
This meeting though came nearly three years after their last, a straight sets win for Del Potro in Shanghai in 2013. Fans were therefore eager to see two of the games strongest players of the last decade re-engage on the tennis court once again.
Nadal started the stronger, earning a tight first set, with the aid of a top spin backhand winner in game twelve. Del Potro facing two set points could only net a cross-court forehand, and the 2008 Gold Medal winner looked on the way to play for the same honour in 2016. Given Del Potro’s lack of match fitness through the season, and the determined nature of Nadal’s play, many could have been forgiven for assuming that there would be little left in the tank from the tall Argentine. Del Potro rallied however, and began to dominate with his forehand, hitting eighteen of nineteen ground-stroke winners from that wing. He secured the break and forced the deciding set.
The deciding set went with serve until Del Potro pulled off a huge effort to break Nadal to love, earning the right to serve for the set at five-four. With much of the crowd behind him, Del Potro attempted to serve out. Nadal was having none of it though, breaking straight back to love, including a sensational trademark forehand winner down the line to restore parity.
The drama was not yet over though, as Del Potro earned love-forty in consecutive Nadal service games. Del Potro passed an advancing Nadal and ripped a forehand winner down the line for the break opportunities. Nadal held though, with Del Potro missing fractionally long with a forehand on the best break point, before a slice skidded into the tramlines for a Nadal escape.
It became academic though, as Del Potro won the first point of the tie break with a Nadal forced error, and served for the match. Nadal fought back though, aiming at Del Potro when faced with a short ball and the Argentine at the net to return to serve. Nadal still had to save a match point on his own serve though, and he failed, missing wide with a cross-court forehand to hand Del Potro a miraculous victory.
Del Potro celebrated in style, collapsing to the ground with tears in his eyes, before going to embrace members of the crowd. The crowd had contributed to the atmosphere with vociferous support for both men, but especially Del Potro, in arguably the best match of the 2016 Olympics.
Del Potro would go on to win the silver medal, going down in four sets to the year-end No.1 Andy Murray, who won his second consecutive Olympic Gold. Nadal would fall to Kei Nishikori of Japan in the Bronze Medal match.
