Federer's Flushing Finish

A 20 year old Argentine accomplished an unthinkable upset Monday night at the U.S. Open. Juan Martin Del Portro won the first Grand Slam final he reached by defeating six-time defending champion, Roger Federer. The swift Swede was taken to a fifth set in the epic quarrel in front of 24,000 cheering fans. Del Portro dropped the first set 3-6 before he delivered an historic comeback and one of the tournament’s greatest upsets.
The tallest player to win a U.S. Open and first Argentine to capture the title since Guillermo Vilas 32 years ago, Del Portro began to drive his groundstrokes in the second set. Federer was on the verge of snagging the second set when he led 5-4. Roger was serving to close it out when Del Portro battled back to even the score 5-5. Del Portro drilled a questionable forehand winner that Federer believed was out. The shot just hit the sideline and Del Portro declared the second set his in a tiebreaker. After Federer lost the second set and questioned the line judge, he never seemed to regain his composure. Del Portro was the confident swinger, nailing 37 dominant forehand winners during the entire match. Federer objected to the amount of time Del Portro was getting to make challenges throughout the third set. The reigning king of the court was visibly flustered as he went ahead again by bagging the third set, 6-4.
Del Portro won his second set, the fourth overall of the match, in another tiebreaker. He steadied himself impressively after several unforced errors and double faults in the third set. Even when Federer was two points from winning his seventh consecutive U.S. Open, Del Portro scooped his trophy chances right off the blue court with his sweeping forehands. Federer looked shaky to start the fifth and final set, and never regaining the lead. Del Portro took complete control of the final set at Arthur Ashe Stadium to raise himself to the top of the tennis world. He is the only player not named Rafael Nadal to seize a victory over Roger in Flushing and the first to beat him in New York since 2003. Ironically, the man born outside Buenos Aires had to first shut down Nadal in the semifinal round. Del Portro is the only man to defeat both Nadal and Federer in the same slam.
Del Portro lost to Andy Murray 12 months ago but earned his credibility last night. He is already a more dangerous player he was a year ago and proved so while delivering a beating and owning the court against Federer. In the semifinals, Del Portro allowed Nadal to win just six tantalizing games and a day later terrifically thumped the number one player in the world. The tall Argentine was mistiming almost everything Federer offered up in the first set. But he heated up and focused in the second set and dispensed an admirable 2009 U.S. Open.

Parting points: Song of the day- “Hungry Eyes” by Eric Carmen