Juan Martín del Potro

Juan Martín del Potro (born September 23, 1988 in Tandil) is an Argentine professional tennis player who is the highest-ranked Argentine and the 6th-ranked player in the world.





Del Potro achieved a top 10 ranking by the Association of Tennis Professionals for the first time on October 6, 2008. In April 2009, he reached a career-high ranking of World No.5.



In August 2008, he became the first player in ATP history to win his first four career titles in as many tournaments.He also completed the second longest winning streak in 2008, and the second longest by a teenager in the open era, behind Rafael Nadal — with his winning sequence spanning 23 matches over five tournaments.



Since then, he has made quarter-final appearances at the 2008 US Open and 2009 Australian Open and a semi-final appearance at the 2009 French Open, in addition to reaching the latter stages of a number of Masters 1000 events.

Del Potro reaches Open semis

By HOWARD FENDRICH

NEW YORK (AP)—Juan Martin del Potro was aching for a second crack at a Grand Slam semifinal, a second chance to prove he has what it takes to win at that stage.

By early Thursday evening, he knew he’d get that opportunity at the U.S. Open, thanks to a wind-swept 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 quarterfinal victory over 16th-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia.



What the sixth-seeded del Potro still did not know several hours later, as rain washed over Flushing Meadows: The opponent he will have to beat to reach his first Grand Slam final.

That’s because the quarterfinal between six-time major champion Rafael Nadal and 2007 Australian Open runner-up Fernando Gonzalez was interrupted by showers.

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 10: Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina celebrates match point during the Men's Singles Quarterfinals match against Marin Cilic of Croatia during day eleven of the 2009 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 10, 2009 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Del Potro defeated Cilic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Del Potro stuns Nadal to reach first slam final

NEW YORK, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro bludgeoned Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-2 6-2 at the U.S. Open on Sunday to reach his first grand-slam final.

The sixth seed overpowered the Spaniard in two hours, 20 minutes of outstanding hitting to set up a final against either five-times champion Roger Federer or fourth seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia.

The first set was a story of missed opportunities as Nadal squandered three break point chances, while the Argentine broke twice, in the fourth and eighth games.

The pattern was repeated in the second set and though Nadal continued to fight in the third, Del Potro was too strong and cruised to a comprehensive victory.

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 17 (Reuters) - Juan Martin del Potro was gifted a place in the last four at Indian Wells on Thursday when Tommy Robredo pulled out of their scheduled quarter-final because of a strained left abductor muscle.

Former U.S. Open champion del Potro of Argentina will meet either top-seeded Spaniard Rafa Nadal or big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic in the semi-finals of the elite ATP Masters 1000 event.

Spaniard Robredo, a former world number five, has been troubled by the injury for a month and he aggravated it in the second set of his 6-1 6-3 fourth-round victory over American Sam Querrey on Wednesday.

“I knew I was not going to be able to play, so that’s why I pulled out,” the 25th seed Spaniard told reporters. “We did an MRI last night, and we saw the results.

“The doctor here says not to play. We have been delaying it as much as possible because we were contacting our doctors in Spain to see what they feel about. Now the decision is done.”

Robredo, who has a win-loss record of 16-4 this season, said he had also withdrawn from the ATP tournament in Miami starting next week.

‘NO CHANCE’

“I have a strained muscle in two places, so no chance to play,” the Spaniard added. “Well, a chance to play, yes, but then for sure I wouldn’t be running as normal and I will have the chance to break it.

“It’s not an easy situation for a player, playing as good as I was playing, and I was hoping to try to reach the semi-finals. But when you are not 100 percent, then you have no chances.”

Del Potro, while expressing regret for the Spaniard’s plight, looked forward to a possible match with world number one Nadal in the last four at Indian Wells.

“Of course I’m sorry for Robredo and I wish him a fast recovery,” said the 22-year-old Argentine, who won his eighth ATP title at last month’s Delray Beach International Championships.

“But I am glad to be in the semi-finals. Maybe I could play with Nadal again. We make very good matches before, so I have two days to be better, in good form, and hopefully I can play 100 percent.”

Del Potro has a 3-4 career record against Nadal, having beaten the Spaniard 6-2 6-2 6-2 in the semi-finals of the 2009 U.S. Open where he went on to win his first grand slam title.

“It was two years ago, and I think he’s playing better today,” said del Potro, who played just three tournaments last year because of an injury to his right wrist.

“I’m not the same player as two years ago, but I have improved my game since two months ago.”