Juan Martin is Only Getting Started

The booming sound of his forehand reverberating through Arthur Ashe Stadium won’t be soon forgotten by the spectators, and will endure forever in Roger Federer’s nightmares. On Monday, a new king of the hard-court was crowned in New York. Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro, possesses an Andy Roddick style game, but everything is bigger – powerful ground strokes and a lethal serve – and he’s only 20.

Most remarkable, perhaps, was his self belief throughout the match. Playing in his first Grand Slam final against one of the greatest ever, he was understandably nervous to start, losing the first set in a poor effort. But while most first timers would meekly walk off the court, accepting runners up status as an accomplishment, like Andy Murray lamely did one year ago, Del Potro pulled his act together in the second set showing why he was able to so easily beat Rafael Nadal the day before. Then, after double faulting twice in a row to lose the third set, he once again showed the wherewithal to play his best and win the fourth and fifth sets.

In an effort that was eerily reminiscent of, Pete Sampras, the tennis legend he grew up idolizing, Del Potro secured a service break early in the fifth set and proceeded to simply go through the motions on Federer’s remaining service games, saving energy for his own. He displayed a mature understanding of the scoreboard, knowing when to press and when to hold back, allowing him to last easily through a grueling five setter.

The comparisons to Sampras may continue throughout his career, as one of Pete’s most underrated skills was his service return. Because he often secured only as many breaks as necessary, then coasted to victory on his own serve, Sampras was not recognized as the incredible returner he was. Watching Del Potro put the ball back into play so many times throughout the match, it was clear that he may be right up there with some of the best of all time in return proficiency –Agassi, Connors, and Nadal. His wingspan plays a huge role, as it is almost impossible to serve outside his reach, and his ground game makes those returns more than just defensive blocks. Still, he seemed only to really go after those points at the big moments, as he did in breaking back to stay in the fourth set.

In the tennis world, finally, there is another man who can stand up to Federer, and such a stark contrast is he to the other. While Nadal whips his racket over and around the ball, spinning it like no one ever has, Del Potro hits it straight and flat, crushing the ball with the face of his weapon. The result is a ball that skids right through the speedy hard court, a complete contradiction to Nadal’s shots that bound up off the surface. This is why Rafa fares so well on the grippier surfaces of Melbourne, Wimbledon, and especially Paris where spin is exaggerated. On the hard-courts, something else is needed, and while Federer’s all-rounded game has done the job for years, Del Potro’s was designed for it.

Tennis fans should be excited for what’s to come: the best clay courter of all time, Nadal, has many titles left in him, and the man who may one day be considered his counterpart of the hard-court has just arrived. As they contend for majors in years to come, one thing is clear – a changing of the guard has just occurred.