Juan Martin Del Potro came back from two sets down to battle past Dominic Thiem 1-6 2-6 6-1 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 after fending off two match points in an epic five-set match to reach the quarter finals for the fifth time in nine appearances at the US Open.
Del Potro was on the verge of defeat after winning just three games in the first two sets. He dropped his serve, as he netted his backhand early in the first set.
“I don’t know how I was able to win that match. I was sick in the last two days and I tried to play as best that I can. When I saw this crowd cheering for me. I was trying to feel better. I fought like this because of these guys. I played one of the epic matches of my career here in the US Open. This is my favourite tournaments I got exhausted after the last point of the match. That’s what I did with my hands, looking the sky. I am so glad to go through. I am playing a fantastic battle against one of the best players of the tour. The fan support was very visible. Everyone was backing you in the crowd. It was unbelievable atmosphere. People loves my effort to come back and play tennis. They know what have been through with all my wrist problems. They like one guy who never gives up. You can see my backhand is not good enough yet, but I am still trying. I think the people likes that. ”
Del Potro admitted after the match that he was close to withdrawing from the match after clinching the seventh five-set match of his career and his second comeback from two sets down.
“It was very important because I was thinking to retire in the middle of the second set because i could not breathe. I could not move well”.
Del Potro made zero winners to 15 unforced errors in the opening set. He received treatment from the trainer after trailing 1-5 in the first set. However, thanks to the strong support from the crowd Del Potro reeled off eight of the next ten games to win the third set. Del Potro got an early break at the start of the fourth set but Thiem recovered quickly by breaking back. The Austrian player reeled off four of the next five games to open up a 5-2 lead and served for the fourth set one game later. Del Potro broke back and saved two match points, as he was serving at 5-6. He clinched the fourth set with a forehand in the tie-break to force the match to the fifth set. Thiem recovered from 0-40 down at 3-3 but Del Potro clinched the win on his second match point.
“Dominic was dominating the match so easily, but when we started the third set, I broke his serve very quickly, and then I won the set in 20 minutes. Then the history changed a lot. I was starting to see the crowd. I took all the energy from the fans. That’s what I did in the end, just keep fighting. I didn’t give up any points from the the third until the fifth set. I was ready to win the match in that moment. Then I saw the crowd waiting for more tennis, waiting for my good forehands. I took all the energy to change in a good way and think about fighting and not retiring. I did well, and I started to enjoy a little bit more about the fans. I think I did everything well after the third set. The crowd enjoyed with me all points”
Del Potro will take on Roger Federer in teh quarter final in a re-match of the epic 2009 US Open final won the Argentine player.
“I admire Roger. Everybody loves him. It is going to be an interesting match to play. It will be eight years after the match on the central court at this tournament. I know how to play if I want to win, but I will see how physically I feel after this battle. It is always a pleasure to play the greatest guy in history”.
