Del Potro has shown he is ready to threaten the elite once more
Published:Juan Martin Del Potro won’t be itching to tell his grandchildren that his place in the Wimbledon record books comes virtue of a defeat in the longest semi-final match in the championships history, but the Argentinean giant should have plenty more legitimate achievements to pass down.
It was a welcome return to the business end of a Grand Slam for the 2009 US Open champion who, after conquering all at Flushing Meadows, only managed to play seven matches in 2010 and had to miss the French Open this year with a viral infection.
Aside from the established top-four in the world no-one has landed another Major since 2009, a massive achievement in itself and if he had been able to carry the momentum through from 2009 then it could conceivably have been more.
Every area of the 24-year-old’s game can survive examination at the highest level with a dangerous serve complemented by a catapult-forehand and a steady two-hander on the other wing.
Del Potro’s slingshot-styled forehand is one of the most explosive in the game and was a consistent source of incredulity from world number one Novak Djokovic during their marathon last-four clash.
At 8/1 for the US Open Del-Po has to be considered to regain his crown from Andy Murray as now he is clearly back to full fitness and crucially has confidence restored that he can operate his high-octane game at the top level.
Obviously this all hinges on him staying healthy but if that happens he is only going to improve from what we saw at SW19.
The men’s game cannot be considered to be in transition just yet and even when the inevitable process of Roger Federer exiting the frontline there are very few players that can reasonably be expected to make the upgrade.
What is certain is that Del Potro is one of them.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
