Del Potro Out

[OddJack]

As I predicted, the guy has no durability.

Whoever beats Rodge pays the price by an arm or a leg.

Delpo out, 8 weeks at least.

..............

US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has injured his wrist in training and is likely to need up to two months to recover from the problem.

Del Potro's trainer Martiniano Orazi said the world number five would need four weeks of rest and another month to get back into shape.

The Argentine, 21, who beat Roger Federer to win the 2009 US Open, has been recently hampered by tendinitis.

The injury rules him out of Argentina's Davis Cup tie against Sweden in March.

Back in October Del Potro had to retire in the second set in the Shanghai Masters with tendinitis and pulled out of an exhibition tournament just days before last month's Australian Open with the same problem.

When he won the US Open the Argentine became the first man other than Rafael Nadal to beat Federer in the final of a Grand Slam tournament.

In recognition of that victory, Del Potro was nominated for the Laureus world breakthrough of the year award on Thursday.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/8511886.stm

 

[djokovicgonzalez2010]

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has injured his wrist and is expected to miss Argentina's Davis Cup series against Sweden next month.

Del Potro was injured Thursday during a practice session. He has been bothered by tendinitis in his wrist for months.

At the Shanghai Masters in October, he retired in the second set because of the injury. He pulled out of an exhibition tournament just days before last month's Australian Open with the same problem.

Martiniano Orazi, del Potro's trainer, said the No. 5-ranked player would need four weeks of rest and four more weeks to get back into playing shape.

The Davis Cup series is March 5-7 in Stockholm.

-ESPN.go.com/tennis

 

[Cyan]

I read that the tallest of the slam winners never won more than a couple of slams. Del Potro fits that profile. I bet he will only win 1 more slam.

 

[TennisFan3]

There's only 2 guys on tour with a pair of marble in their pants: Nadal and Del Potro.

Both have succumbed to injuries. I'm guessing Federer will get the calender slam this year. At this rate, he might break Margret Court's 24 slams record, if Delpo and Nadal get done soon..

 

[AM95]

i think the cause of del po's injury is that unnatural forehand swing he has..

i hate watching it...but i mean..its the truth, it looks like theres a good amount of stress on the wrist.

 

[djokovicgonzalez2010]

Cilic has more injury potential than anyone else I've ever seen but Ferrer

 

[OddJack]

But

I am suspecting he is being smart.

Smarter than Rafa,

He is sharpening teeth for FO.

Now we know who's in the final with Rodge.

 

[bruce38]

Well there has to be a price for beating Roger in a slam when your talent level doesn't match up with his. Delpo beat him once - 2 months. Nadal beat him 6 times in a slam and we all see what he's suffering.

 

[Blinkism]

Hope he gets better in time for the French. He's missing IW-Miami, right?

 

[OddJack]

Hope he gets better in time for the French. He's missing IW-Miami, right?

Yeah.. no IW, too bad I cant see him there.

 

[Shaolin]

Not surprising. These uber tall guys just break down easily.

 

[JennyS]

I hope he can make it back in time for the French Open!

 

[JennyS]

8 weeks puts his return at Monte Carlo. So he will lose 630 points (90 at Memphis, 180 at IW, 360 at Miami) in the rankings and drop down to 5,770 points. Davydenko should pass him in the rankings soon.

 

[swissmiss]

Sad not to be able to see him at IW.

Good news for Nadal (and Fed/Fed fans) though - makes it less likely that Nadal will drop to 5th place, since DelPo won't be gaining points in IW/Miami.

 

[djokovicgonzalez2010]

8 weeks puts his return at Monte Carlo. So he will lose 630 points (90 at Memphis, 180 at IW, 360 at Miami) in the rankings and drop down to 5,770 points. Davydenko should pass him in the rankings soon.

next victim: rafa

 

[swissmiss]

Honestly though, I don't really know why people say he is one of the only two guys with balls who has what it takes to beat Roger, etc etc. I thought Fed played pretty damn badly that US Open final, and pretty much lost it himself. He never should have lost that second set, no matter how well DelPo played at the end of the 5 sets to win. Same for the match in London - Fed was lucky to even win that second set tiebreak given the kind of tennis he was playing. And I don't think it was because of him cowering in front of DelPo: he played mediocre tennis there all week.

I just don't see DelPo as a Nadal-like Fed-beater yet. He has a long way to go.

 

[OddJack]

Honestly though, I don't really know why people say he is one of the only two guys with balls who has what it takes to beat Roger, etc etc. I thought Fed played pretty damn badly that US Open final, and pretty much lost it himself. He never should have lost that second set, no matter how well DelPo played at the end of the 5 sets to win. Same for the match in London - Fed was lucky to even win that second set tiebreak given the kind of tennis he was playing. And I don't think it was because of him cowering in front of DelPo: he played mediocre tennis there all week.

I just don't see DelPo as a Nadal-like Fed-beater yet. He has a long way to go.

Del Potro plays like a sleeper within a match. You look at him and he seems to be tired, hopeless or not interested. But he suddenly comes alive and surprises his opponents.
On that last set he was hitting really hard, like his life depended on it.
The only part of Federer game that was poor was his serve, it helped Delpo to attack many of his second serves.
I like the guy, he is much more interesting to watch than say, Murray. But he is not gonna last long on top because of his anatomy. That's why his decision to rest till FO is very wise. He knows this too.

 

[swissmiss]

Del Potro plays like a sleeper within a match. You look at him and he seems to be tired, hopeless or not interested. But he suddenly comes alive and surprises his opponents.
On that last set he was hitting really hard, like his life depended on it.
The only part of Federer game that was poor was his serve, it helped Delpo to attack many of his second serves.
I like the guy, he is much more interesting to watch than say, Murray. But he is not gonna last long on top because of his anatomy. That's why his decision to rest till FO is very wise. He knows this too.

That's true - he does do the sneak attack.

I just think Fed served so poorly in the second set that that's where he lost himself the match - never should have lost that set and been in the fourth or fifth even.

I like Delpo too, game and personality wise, but I don't think he has Federer's number yet. Too soon to tell. A meeting at the French would be exciting for sure.

 

[Talker]

Honestly though, I don't really know why people say he is one of the only two guys with balls who has what it takes to beat Roger, etc etc. I thought Fed played pretty damn badly that US Open final, and pretty much lost it himself. He never should have lost that second set, no matter how well DelPo played at the end of the 5 sets to win. Same for the match in London - Fed was lucky to even win that second set tiebreak given the kind of tennis he was playing. And I don't think it was because of him cowering in front of DelPo: he played mediocre tennis there all week.

I just don't see DelPo as a Nadal-like Fed-beater yet. He has a long way to go.

It's true that Roger wasn't at his best, he still should have won but he wanted to trade forehands with Potro man to man, silly to me with all his variety. If his serve alone was just average he would have won without much problem.

Potro is very tough mentally, he doesn't fall apart against anyone, just plays his game point by point. Purposely seems disinterested to keep himself calm in my opinion. Being relaxed is known to bring out the best. Sometimes out there he looks like he's trying to find a lost quarter.

As far as being out for awhile, he can still work on 'other' things, build up his endurance, other tennis drills he may not have given the proper attention to in the past.
The result is he may be in better condition and more tournament ready than before.

 

[swissmiss]

Potro is very tough mentally, he doesn't fall apart against anyone, just plays his game point by point. Purposely seems disinterested to keep himself calm in my opinion. Being relaxed is known to bring out the best. Sometimes out there he looks like he's trying to find a lost quarter.

So true! Sometimes if I just watch his body language he seems like he must be losing out there, but he's usually winning.

 

[Buckethead]

Honestly though, I don't really know why people say he is one of the only two guys with balls who has what it takes to beat Roger, etc etc. I thought Fed played pretty damn badly that US Open final, and pretty much lost it himself. He never should have lost that second set, no matter how well DelPo played at the end of the 5 sets to win. Same for the match in London - Fed was lucky to even win that second set tiebreak given the kind of tennis he was playing. And I don't think it was because of him cowering in front of DelPo: he played mediocre tennis there all week.

I just don't see DelPo as a Nadal-like Fed-beater yet. He has a long way to go.

My friend, did you really see the match??
Federer let him off the hook,i agree,and then he went after and beat Federer,it wasn't that Federer had 100 U.E.Del Potro already took care of Federer,because he has more fire power than Federer.Del Potro has the most powerful forehand in the game,and it was on display against Fed ,unfortunately for us ,Fed fans.Nadal is another victim of Del Po,actually an easy prey for DelPo.

Yeah.. no IW, too bad I cant see him there.

Fu...i wanted to see him playing the HC in those Tournaments.
I hope he rests takes care of the injuries and come back stronger,as i would like to see Soderling completely healthy and without tendinitis.
Del potro will be the next number one.

 

[TennisFan3]

Honestly though, I don't really know why people say he is one of the only two guys with balls who has what it takes to beat Roger, etc etc.

This is what Steve Tignor said at tennis.com ( http://tennisworld.typepad.com/thewrap/2010/02/being-there.html )
_________
What did I sense while watching del Potro and Federer? That the Argentine was going to win, not because, as others told me afterward, Federer was being too casual, or that he was being too stubborn strategically. While my sideline vantage didn’t allow me to see how rallies were being structured very easily, my proximity to the court did allow me to see, hear, feel something just as valuable—the depth and velocity of each player’s shots, and the positions from which they were hitting them. Once del Potro won the second set, his coach, Franco Davin, said that he “knew Juan would win.” I had virtually the same view as Davin, from the other side of the court, and I thought the same thing. His shots were knocking Federer backward and off balance, something I’d never seen before, not even when he’d played Nadal. The tide was with the taller man, and nothing else mattered. You might think that Federer’s first-serve percentage and double-fault count caused his defeat, but I would say it’s just as likely that they, along with whatever other match stats you might want to throw out there, were the effect of this basic fact. The same way that a football game is won in the yard between the offensive line and the defensive line, last year’s U.S. Open final was won in the few inches that Federer was forced to lean backward, both mentally and physically, by the pace of del Potro’s ground strokes.
______________

I think that's very insightful. Looking at Delpo's huge groundies it was only a matter of time before Federer was overwhelmed. And so it proved! Delpo showed it once again at WTF even when the Argie was injured. I think it will be very interesting to see what happens in their next few matches. Personally I hope for a repeat of last yr's SF at Rolland Garros.

 

[TMF]

My friend, did you really see the match??
Federer let him off the hook,i agree,and then he went after and beat Federer,it wasn't that Federer had 100 U.E.Del Potro already took care of Federer,because he has more fire power than Federer.Del Potro has the most powerful forehand in the game,and it was on display against Fed ,unfortunately for us ,Fed fans.Nadal is another victim of Del Po,actually an easy prey for DelPo.

This is not taking any credit away from DP, but it’s the fact that Roger didn’t played his best. It’s been said before that Roger’s serve was the worst of all the 22 GS finals he ever played. He served 51% and had like 8 double faults.

 

[Buckethead]

This is not taking any credit away from DP, but it’s the fact that Roger didn’t played his best. It’s been said before that Roger’s serve was the worst of all the 22 GS finals he ever played. He served 51% and had like 8 double faults.

Double faults aren't only mistakes,but mental issues ,more than any other thing,when you are under pressure,because somebody has a huge forehand or backhand and wins most 2nd serve points ,then it makes you think every time you have a second serve,where are you going to serve,makes you try to increase the pace,but there is nowhere to go.So ,the double faults were induced,and Federer thought he had won that match on the game before served for the 2nd set,that's why he lost,because he does think he wins before its ended,and was another good lesson that he took,look at that Tsonga match,i was pis.. off because of his stubbornness.

 

[Talker]

This is not taking any credit away from DP, but it’s the fact that Roger didn’t played his best. It’s been said before that Roger’s serve was the worst of all the 22 GS finals he ever played. He served 51% and had like 8 double faults.

Don't forget that Delpo is relatively new on the block.

Davydenko showed a way to disrupt Delpo's game, move him around, don't let him get into a groove, angles and some net play, Davy didn't let Potro get into his power game. Believe me that everyone noticed too.

Not easy to do all the time but all players have weak points, the book on how to beat Delpo is still being written, it should get harder for Juan as time goes on.

Next time Fed faces Potro there will definitely be some adjustments from Fed.
That's the interesting part.

 

[davey25]

My friend, did you really see the match??
Federer let him off the hook,i agree,and then he went after and beat Federer,it wasn't that Federer had 100 U.E.Del Potro already took care of Federer,because he has more fire power than Federer.Del Potro has the most powerful forehand in the game,and it was on display against Fed ,unfortunately for us ,Fed fans.Nadal is another victim of Del Po,actually an easy prey for DelPo.

As you said Federer let him off the hook. That was the key to the match. Fed should have won that 2nd set about 5 times over and he still lost it. He was way too casual and relaxed, blew so many opportunities to put the hammer down completely in that set which he figured he wouldnt need. The match should have been over in 3 sets.

Apart from that yes Del Potro did take the match over by hitting winners and playing very well as it went along. However Federer's serving was also terrible that whole match, and that is something he has complete control over.

 

[davey25]

Del Potro was an idiot to play the Australian Open. It is pretty clear he aggravated the wrist injury more by playing. With that injury he never stood a chance, he did well to scrape his way into the 4th round (barely) and nearly in the quarters. That was always going to be his max possible with the injury. So what was the purpose of playing and worsening the injury in the first place.

 

[Buckethead]

Don't forget that Delpo is relatively new on the block.

Davydenko showed a way to disrupt Delpo's game, move him around, don't let him get into a groove, angles and some net play, Davy didn't let Potro get into his power game. Believe me that everyone noticed too.

Not easy to do all the time but all players have weak points, the book on how to beat Delpo is still being written, it should get harder for Juan as time goes on.

Next time Fed faces Potro there will definitely be some adjustments from Fed.
That's the interesting part.

But don't forget,that Davydenko has a backhand that is infinitely superior than Fed's backhand,i mean,you can't even compare,and it's 2 handed which has more advantages than a single handed.
Fed's problem is,that Delpo is still in development and a way from his max,while Fed is already close ,or on his limit and it's only down hill from now.
Let's see for how long Fed will keep it there.

 

[Talker]

But don't forget,that Davydenko has a backhand that is infinitely superior than Fed's backhand,i mean,you can't even compare,and it's 2 handed which has more advantages than a single handed.
Fed's problem is,that Delpo is still in development and a way from his max,while Fed is already close ,or on his limit and it's only down hill from now.
Let's see for how long Fed will keep it there.

The way Davy plays is at times spectacular, I don't expect many could play the game he did to beat Potro. But the idea is there, Fed can definitely use some of the tactics that Davy used and has a lot more variety to change things up.
But your right about Potro just moving into his peak. He can add to his serve with some variety, improve his already decent net play and movement on the court.
Add all that to his wingspan and you have a monster.
I'm glad he just pulled out for now, get himself healed up instead of letting the problem hang.
He may be looking very good in a few months if he heals up well and gets a few tournaments under his belt.

 

[OTMPut]

But don't forget,that Davydenko has a backhand that is infinitely superior than Fed's backhand,i mean,you can't even compare,and it's 2 handed which has more advantages than a single handed.
Fed's problem is,that Delpo is still in development and a way from his max,while Fed is already close ,or on his limit and it's only down hill from now.
Let's see for how long Fed will keep it there.

not sure i agree. Andy murray is suppsoed to have much better 2hbh. Fed took it on in AO and won many bh to bh rallies. 2hbh is not by default better than a 1hbh. Just because you can hit harder does not mean it is better.

And about the development part. Delpo is way way off when it comes to slam experience. Fed is much fitter than him anyways and looks like he will remain so for another 3-4 years.

 

[IvanAndreevich]

Stats for the 2009 US Open final are as follows:

Fed: 13A, 11DF, 62UE, 56W
DP: 8A, 6DF, 62UE, 57W

This is the worst slam final Federer has played since 2008 FO, and indeed he played worse here than he did there. There, he had 31W, 35UE - and that's on a much slower surface against the best defender on his preferred surface. Del Potro played like crap too. Otherwise, he would have beaten Federer in easy straights, the way Federer was playing. The scoreline at the FO was 6-1 6-3 6-0 - that was against an opponent who was playing amazing tennis.

Let me re-iterate: the quality of tennis in the 2009 USO final stunk. Del Potro just sucked a tiny bit less.

 

[swordtennis]

never was sure about this guy. He seems to be a combination of a weird science and chemical experiment gone bad. Frankenstein.

 

[ksbh]

I'm afraid I have to agree with your comments in bold. Someone wrote in another thread how stupid Rafa was last year, heading to some obscure tournament right after winning a grueling AO. He continued the stupidity before the FO & paid the price the rest of the year.

But

I am suspecting he is being smart.

Smarter than Rafa,

He is sharpening teeth for FO.

Now we know who's in the final with Rodge.

 

[dh003i]

Actually, once Del Potro started raising his game, he was playing his A-game, some of his best tennis. Federer never played his best tennis. No matter which way you slice it, 51% 1st serve is bad, and was something he was doing from the start of the match. It had nothing to do with Del Potro. His serve was just really off that day. Even an average serving day, and he never would have lost the match.

Of course he did lose, Del Potro played better than him overall, and that's why he won.

 

[CMM]

As I predicted, the guy has no durability.

Whoever beats Rodge pays the price by an arm or a leg.

Delpo out, 8 weeks at least.

..............

US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has injured his wrist in training and is likely to need up to two months to recover from the problem.

Del Potro's trainer Martiniano Orazi said the world number five would need four weeks of rest and another month to get back into shape.

The Argentine, 21, who beat Roger Federer to win the 2009 US Open, has been recently hampered by tendinitis.

The injury rules him out of Argentina's Davis Cup tie against Sweden in March.

Back in October Del Potro had to retire in the second set in the Shanghai Masters with tendinitis and pulled out of an exhibition tournament just days before last month's Australian Open with the same problem.

When he won the US Open the Argentine became the first man other than Rafael Nadal to beat Federer in the final of a Grand Slam tournament.

In recognition of that victory, Del Potro was nominated for the Laureus world breakthrough of the year award on Thursday.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/8511886.stm

According to that link he'll be out for 4 weeks.

"He is also likely to be ruled out of Argentina's Davis Cup tie against Sweden on 5-7 March, with Indian Wells (11 March) or Miami (24 March) his likely comeback targets."

 

[jackson vile]

What is it with you people?


Listen DP has never done a full season before

He is young and does not have the experience, his coach is working with him to play a full season.

The guy is an amazing tennis player and has way more than 1 slam left in him. I predict that all you morons are wrong and that DP will do his usual summer hard court magic.

He beat Roger's @$$ get over it.

 

[TennisFan3]

According to that link he'll be out for 4 weeks.

"He is also likely to be ruled out of Argentina's Davis Cup tie against Sweden on 5-7 March, with Indian Wells (11 March) or Miami (24 March) his likely comeback targets."

He's out for 8 weeks according to the BBC link posted earlier. So his return target is likely to be Monte Carlo.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2010/02/2nd-Week/del-Potro-Set-To-Make-Barcelona-Debut.aspx

Delpo has confirmed participation in Barcelona clay. I bet Rafa won't be too happy with this..

 

[CMM]

He's out for 8 weeks according to the BBC link posted earlier. So his return target is likely to be Monte Carlo.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2010/02/2nd-Week/del-Potro-Set-To-Make-Barcelona-Debut.aspx

Delpo has confirmed participation in Barcelona clay. I bet Rafa won't be too happy with this..

Not really. http://tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=4163&zoneid=4

"Juan Martin del Potro will be sidelined for one to two months with an ongoing wrist injury. The U.S. Open champion has pulled out of ATP events in Marseille and Dubai as well as Argentina's Davis Cup tie against Sweden, but retains faint hopes for returning in time for Indian Wells."
Maybe he will be back for Miami.

 

[Ledigs]

Federer is rarely injured, but that is rare in tennis. DP is normal.

 

[CCNM]

OH no!!!!! get well soon Juan Martin!!!

 

[Justin Side]

Stats for the 2009 US Open final are as follows:

Fed: 13A, 11DF, 62UE, 56W
DP: 8A, 6DF, 62UE, 57W

This is the worst slam final Federer has played since 2008 FO, and indeed he played worse here than he did there. There, he had 31W, 35UE - and that's on a much slower surface against the best defender on his preferred surface. Del Potro played like crap too. Otherwise, he would have beaten Federer in easy straights, the way Federer was playing. The scoreline at the FO was 6-1 6-3 6-0 - that was against an opponent who was playing amazing tennis.

Let me re-iterate: the quality of tennis in the 2009 USO final stunk. Del Potro just sucked a tiny bit less.

I wonder the last time both guys in a Grand Slam final had more errors than winners before the 2009 US Open final? I recently watched the last two Wimbledon finals and I think Federer had something crazy like 97 winners vs Rafa and 100+ winners vs Roddick. Nadal and Roddick both also had great winner to unforced error ratios in those two matches. Those US Open final stats sure are ugly by comparison.