I did not expect Federer to lose the US Open this Monday. That’s not to say I wanted him to win. It’s just that after the skillful domination he displayed in the first set, I wasn’t expecting del Potro to bounce back in the form that he did.
For me, the match consisted of no more than two momentum shifts. That’s all it took for a 6-2 win in the fifth set. Underdog style.
What I like about del Potro is the way he drinks water during changeovers. There is no hint of the anal about him. Unlike Nadal, who aligns his water bottles accordingly, as if he were the director of the celestial sphere, del Potro couldn’t care less.
He takes swigs that mess his face and chin as much as they quench his thirst. And he drops water bottles without design. I guess that’s what it takes to stop Federer from:
- winning his 6th straight US Open title
- winning his 41st straight US Open match
- and being the first player to win 3 straight grand slam titles in the same year since 1969
Victories like this are what keep the game of tennis alive for me.