JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO WINS AT THE 2016 U.S. OPEN TENNIS & NOW FACES A SHOWDOWN WITH STEVIE JOHNSON AFTER THE AMERICAN SAVES SIX MATCH POINTS

Written by: Staff on 30th August 2016

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO WINS AT THE 2016 U.S. OPEN TENNIS & NOW FACES A SHOWDOWN WITH STEVIE JOHNSON AFTER THE AMERICAN SAVES SIX MATCH POINTS

epa05515984 Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina hits a return to Diego Schwartzman of Argentina on the second day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 30 August 2016. The US Open runs through September 11. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

By Ricky Dimon

Another thriller on the new Grandstand saw Steve Johnson save six match points to stun Evgeny Donskoy 4-6, 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-3 in three hours and 13 minutes. One day after America’s other top player, John Isner, mounted a comeback from two sets down, Johnson did the same in even more improbable fashion.

Not only did the world No. 22 lose the first two sets, but he also trailed 5-2 in the third–and, moreover, 0-40 while serving at 2-5. Johnson eventually fought off four match points to hold, broke for 4-5, held again for 5-5, and saved two more match points to hold for 6-6. With momentum in hand, albeit barely, Johnson rolled through the ensuing tiebreaker seven points to two.

From there it was all over for Donskoy, who was trying to avenge a 6-1, 6-1 blowout loss to Johnson at the Rio Olympics. The 79th-ranked Russian dropped serve at 2-3 in the fourth and twice in the fifth–including to seal his unfortunate fate with a service donation at 3-5.

But Johnson’s dreamlike comeback has now led to his worst nightmare: an early-round showdown against Juan Martin Del Potro. Before the USTA awarded a wild card to the 2009 U.S. Open champion, Johnson weighed in on the subject.

Steve Johnson of the US hits a return shot to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France during their match in the Western & Southern Open tennis championships at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 18 August 2016. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

“It may make a lot of American fans upset that maybe he gets one–maybe he doesn’t–I have no idea,” the world No. 22 commented. “But then you have the question of what if he does get a wild card and he plays me first round? You know what I mean? What if he wins? Or he plays Sam (Querrey)… anybody… and he beats an American?”

Well, it did not happen in the first round–but Del Potro will, in fact, play Johnson during second-round action on Thursday. The Argentine, a recent silver medalist at the Olympics, cruised through his opener 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(3) at the expense of countryman Diego Schwartzman.

It marked Del Potro’s first match in Flushing Meadows since he lost a five-set thriller to Lleyton Hewitt 2013. The former world No. 4 missed much of the next two seasons because of recurring wrist problems.

“I was really close to [quitting] tennis because after the first surgery, the second one, and in the end the third one, it was really, really sad moments for me,” Del Potro reflected. “My family and friends [helped] me a lot to never give up. And I think I’m doing well now. The worst part of my life is totally in the past, and I’m living a good present and looking forward for a good future.

“Now I’m trying to play tennis again. I would like to do this for a few years.”

Johnson, admittedly, would have liked for Del Potro’s comeback to not include the U.S. Open. But it does. And now, lo and behold, it includes a head-to-head showdown that should not be missed.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: 10sballs.com, 2016 US Open, Atp World Tour, Juan Martin Del Potro, Ricky Dimon, Sports, Stevie Johnson, Tennis News, US Open tennis

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loveyjergens says:

August 30, 2016 at 9:50 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: Del Potro Wins At The 2016 #USOpen #Tennis & Now Faces A Showdown With Stevie Johnson
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