Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro skilled at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday. Two nice associates embraced an entertaining follow session, with Novak getting ready to chase his twenty fifth Main crown on the US Open and Juan Martin having fun with each second at his beloved stadium. The Argentine claimed his lone Main title on the US Open in 2009, toppling Roger Federer in an exciting ultimate and including his identify to the listing of tennis immortals. Djokovic and del Potro battled 20 occasions between 2007 and 2019, with the Serb incomes 16 victories. Juan Martin ousted Novak at two Olympic Video games, and his ultimate win over the legend got here in 2016 in Rio. They embraced three US Open duels, and Djokovic received all of them. Their first assembly got here in New York in 2007, with Novak incomes a 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 triumph within the third spherical. 5 years later, we noticed them within the quarter-final. Djokovic clinched a 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 win, prevailing in units two and three and shifting into the final 4.
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Juan Martin and Novak organized the title conflict six years later, with the Argentine enjoying the final notable ultimate of his profession. Djokovic delivered a 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 victory in three hours and quarter-hour, lifting his 14th Main crown and matching his idol Pete Sampras. Novak grew to become the second participant within the Open period with three titles at three Majors, becoming a member of Roger Federer on the unique listing. Juan Martin delivered spectacular tennis en path to his second and final Main ultimate, dropping one set in six duels and reaching the title conflict after Rafael Nadal’s retirement. Del Potro fought effectively however couldn’t match Djokovic’s tempo, particularly in units one and three. They’d an analogous variety of winners and compelled errors, and Novak tamed his strokes extra effectively, spraying fewer unforced errors than his opponent. The Serb performed higher behind the primary and second serve, defending 4 of six break factors and stealing the rival’s serve 4 occasions from seven alternatives.
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Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro shared the court docket on the US Open.
Novak coated the court docket beautifully, taming the facility of Juan Martin’s forehand and sealing the deal in type. Djokovic had the higher hand within the shortest, mid-range and most superior rallies, taking 15 factors greater than his rival. Del Potro held at love within the second sport of the match and moved 30-0 up on the return within the subsequent one earlier than Djokovic claimed it after a deuce. They served effectively within the upcoming video games, and Juan Martin regarded good to lock the end result at 4-4 after touchdown an ace for 40-0. As a substitute, Novak rattled off 5 factors, delivering a break and opening a 5-3 benefit. The Serb served for the set in sport 9 and introduced it house after an prolonged rally, wrapping up the opener and gaining a lift. They battled for over 90 minutes within the second set, making it probably the most prolonged ones within the Main finals. Juan Martin denied two break factors within the first sport, avoiding an early setback. Nonetheless, Djokovic made one other push on the return at 1-1, forcing del Potro’s mistake and shifting a set and a break in entrance.
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The Argentine pulled the break again within the sixth sport and landed an ace within the subsequent one for a maintain at love and 4-3. They battled for 20 minutes within the eighth sport. Novak denied three break factors and held after Juan Martin’s forehand error, surviving an enormous problem and gathering a lift. They served effectively within the upcoming video games, and Djokovic launched a tie break with a maintain at love in sport 12. They traded 4 mini-breaks within the opening 5 factors and stayed neck and neck at 4-4. Del Potro made an enormous forehand error within the ninth level, and Djokovic claimed two factors on serve to wrap up the set and forge an infinite benefit forward of set quantity three.
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After three positive holds originally of the set, Novak made a push on the return at 2-1. The Serb transformed the second break probability after the Argentine’s backhand error, shifting nearer to the end line. Desperate to battle till the top, the 2009 champion denied Djokovic’s sport factors in sport 5 and pulled the break again with a volley winner. Juan Martin held in sport six, locking the end result at 3-3 and increasing the drama. Novak grabbed the seventh sport with a forehand winner and stepped in on the return within the subsequent one. The Serb clinched an prolonged rally and delivered an important break that pushed him 5-3 in entrance. Djokovic served for the title in sport 9 and held at 30 with a smash winner, successful back-to-back Main titles and asserting the year-end no. 1 battle with Rafael Nadal.Â
Novak and Delpo taking heart stage on Ashe! pic.twitter.com/bijeUWRUDn
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 21, 2024
