Federer & DelPo Split First Two Sets

Juan Martin del Potro took the first set 7-5 against Roger Federer in their blockbuster US Open quarter-final before the 19-time Grand Slam champion stormed back to take the second 6-3 to level the match.

Cheered on by a boisterous Flushing Meadows crowd, del Potro has brought his A-game, underpinned by his booming serve and forehand, which had Federer on the defensive early.

Both players exposed their pre-match game plans from the outset. Del Potro clubbed a massive down-the-line forehand winner past an approaching Federer on the second point of the match. He also hit forehands about 75 per cent of times after a serve.

The Swiss hit three drop shots in the first eight points in an attempt to test the legs of del Potro following his grueling five-set win two days earlier against Dominic Thiem.

Perhaps unsettled by a 100 mph forehand winner that clipped the baseline on the previous point, Federer double faulted at 5-5 30/30 to concede the first break point of the match. A tentative Federer forehand volley set up a trademark running del Potro crosscourt forehand that clinched the break and a 6-5 lead for the 6’ 6” Argentine.

Showing no sign of nerves, Del Potro put four of five first serves into play when serving for the set, on pace with the astonishing 78 first-serve percentage in the set (25/32).

Federer had success at key moments in the second set bringing del Potro forehand with his short, chip sliced backhand, including to convert break point for a 4-1 lead. He also had more success finding the Argentine’s backhand, setting up an inside-out forehand winner on set point to level the match. Del Potro also paid the price for seeing his first-serve percentage drop to 57.