Del Potro Pulls Greatest Upset in U.S. Open History

Del Potro shocks tennis world, rallies twice to down Federer.

Roger Federer enjoyed 2,200 days of undefeated tennis at the U.S. Open – That streak ended on Monday as 20-year-old Juan Martin Del Potro shocked the world by coming back not once, but twice against the mighty Roger Federer to beat him in five glorious sets, 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2.

During the first 19 games of the match, Del Potro looked nervous and lost as if the occasion had completely overwhelmed him. His shotgun serve was shooting blanks and his blistering forehand was missing in action.

But something strange happened around 5-5 in the second set; Del Potro began to believe in himself. Suddenly the booming serve was finding its mark and the forehand began to do its damage. Del Potro evened the match and seemed ready to take down the five-time U.S. Open Champion.

But disaster struck for the young Argentine when he hit two consecutive double faults to throw away the 3rd set. But Delpo would not go softly into the night. He actually seemed invigorated by the loss.

He found his game once again and began dictating the points. Federer began to lose his cool and even pulled a Serena, using audible expletives in front of a national television audience while berating the chair umpire.

Delpo took the fourth set tiebreaker and handled Federer easily in the fifth set. The giant killer blasted Nadal in yesterday’s semifinal and stole the king’s crown tonight. So many great players have tried to knock off Federer during his five-year win streak, but it was bull from Argentina that finally humbled the number one player in the world.

Having followed the exploits of Juan Martin Del Potro all summer long – I was honored to pick Delpo as the man who would end Federer’s long reign of power at the U.S. Open when the tournament began on August 31, 2009.

Here’s a brief list of articles and links chronicling his run through the 2009 U.S. Open Championships:

Monday, August 31, 2009
Beware the Dark Horse from Argentina

Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Murray Melts Down, Del Potro Hungry for More

Saturday, September 12, 2009
Nadal-Federer Final? -- Don’t Count on It: 20-year-old Del Potro prepared to shock the tennis world

Sunday, September 13, 2009
Look for Del Potro to Derail Federer’s Win Streak

Melanie Oudin Slays Another Tennis Giant

Melanie Oudin continues her assault on the tennis world.

Add Maria Sharapova to the list of top women knocked out of the grand slam tournaments by giant-killer, Melanie Oudin. The 17-year-old Georgian continues to serve notice at the U.S. Open Championships that she is for real after her 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 3rd round win.

Moments after knocking out Sharapova, Oudin told the packed house of well-wishers, “I don’t even know what to say right now, thank you so much for cheering for me.”

That kind of humility and innocence is winning her fans worldwide.

With her left thigh tightly wrapped, and her underdog status firmly in place, Oudin strode into Arthur Ashe Tennis Stadium and picked up right where she left off when she beat Elena Dementieva in the second round.

At first, the blistering pace from Sharapova seemed to be too much. Oudin fell in the first set by a score of 6-3. But If Sharapova sensed that victory was near, Oudin had other ideas. Sharapova was being pressured in every service game – and finally, the wheels started to come off.

The double faults began piling up and before the crowd knew what hit them, Oudin claimed the second set.

With the match even, Oudin quickly went up another break in the 3rd set when Sharapova made a strategic call to the trainer. Surely that would cool off this little upstart. And for one game, this possible display of games-womenship paid dividends. Sharapova broke back leveling the match at 3 games a piece in the third.

But the fiery Melanie Oudin is quickly establishing a record of mental toughness. She’s more than scrappy, she’s a true pitbull. She dug deep and broke Maria right back, punctuating the win with a fist pump and a “C’MON!!”

Each woman continued to trade breaks until Melanie the Lionhearted slammed the door on Sharapova in the third and took her rightful place in 4th round.

Look out world, this kid is here to stay.

Taylor Dent: From Back Surgeries to Flying Backhands

Taylor Dent: Dazzling Crowds, Defying the Laws of Nature

A miracle is defined as an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment. How else would one describe what veteran tennis player Taylor Dent has been able to accomplish at the 2009 U.S. Open Championships?

Two years ago after his third back surgery -- doctors were telling Dent that not only should he forget tennis, but that he may never be able to walk again. He was bedridden for days on end, trapped inside a full body cast. Surely this man would never compete as a tennis professional again.

But here he is -- headed to the third round of the world’s toughest tennis tournament after an awe-inspiring 6-4, 5-7, 6-7(7-1), 7-5, 7-6(11-9) win over Ivan Navarro. He captured the hearts and minds of the people who came to watch him and even after the match was over, found a way to keep it going.

He embraced Navarro with a warm hug at the net and then marched over to the umpire’s chair. He shook hands with him and then did something I’ve never seen before after watching and playing more than three decades of tennis. Dent grabbed the microphone and in a choked-up voice told the crowd, “I just want to say, you guys are unbelievable. I love it here! LET’S GO!!"

The already electrified crowd went wild and Dent fed off of every cheer. Everyone was one their feet as the celebration echoed into the night.

Then came this question from Pam Shriver:

If the low (for you) was the back surgeries and the pain and lying motionless in bed, can you imagine anything better than this?

(The crowd erupts: U-S-A!! U-S-A!!)

Taylor Dent: No, I mean really, it’s all gravy right now. I can’t ask for anything more than to play the sport I love, battle the way I love and to have the support. This crowd is just phenomenal, it’s amazing.

Dent’s courage and tenacity is the stuff movies are made of and for the 195th ranked player in the world and the people that packed the Grandstand, it’s a night they will never forget.

Lion-Hearted Melanie Oudin Stuns Tennis World

Melanie Oudin displays true grit overwhelming Elena Dementieva

Fans who came out Arthur Ashe Stadium this afternoon were treated to a rare display of tenacity, grit, determination and fearlessness in the form of 17-year-old Melanie Oudin this afternoon at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The teen was unseeded, fighting through a left thigh injury and facing the number 4-ranked player in the world, Elena Dementieva.

Oudin played a tough enough first set, but ultimately lost it 7-5. Most teenagers on such a grand stage would have been content with their effort, but not Melanie. She buckled down and put the pressure on Dementieva. Her court coverage was spectacular and the tiny teen from Georgia was fearless – going for shot after shot.

The crowd was buzzing when Oudin stole the second set 6-4 and the third began with such promise. But then trouble struck. Melanie tweaked her left thigh, which was already taped up and had to take a lengthy injury timeout. She retook the court with a heavily rewrapped thigh and the sinking hopes of the crowd.

The match continued with the drama and pressure building – when Oudin yelped after hitting a serve. The color drained from her face and the tears started rolling down her cheeks. Oudin took a few tentative steps and looked ready to call it quits. She thought it over, kept testing her thigh and decided she had come too far.

Her service speed decreased greatly along with her mobility and the Georgia teen seemed destined to lose. But then a funny thing happened. Dementieva drew Oudin into the net and tried to lob over her 5’6 frame. No dice! The 70th ranked player in the world leapt into the air and put away the overhead.

Suddenly she was recharged, pushing the pain aside and going for broke on shot after shot. The number 4 player in the world wilted under the barrage of shot-making and eventually succumbed to Oudin by a final score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

If Melanie Oudin is what the future holds for women’s tennis in the United States, we are truly in good hands.