Poor Marin.

After that first set and a few games, Pony stomped him.

I think JDMP won 18 of the last 22 games.

Back at the very start of summer hard courts I hinted this could be his year to take the Open, and I still believe he's a force to be reckoned with. The media and most message boards/tennis sites have been pretty slack in acknowledging it.

Wow! That backhand smash by Rafa in the first set. What athleticism. The only other person I've seen hit that shot so effortlessly is Federer (at Wimbledon).

Man.

The U.S. Open scheduling...

Wow, did the wheels fall off Marin Cilic or what?? His forehand looked so tight against Murray: early take-back, elbow fairly tight to the body, and a solid wrist. But it looked like a completely different shot against JMDP: late take-back, arm flailing, and a floppy wrist. Bob Brett has a reputation as a stern taskmaster, and you gotta think that he was none too happy about Marin's breakdown on that shot. JMDP certainly has his fans (like, for example, the entire ESPN commentary booth), but for whatever reason, I'm still not sold on the guy.

Nobody envies the winner of the Nadal/Gonzo match (well, except the players who are already out). I'm hoping Rafa snags the 2nd-set tiebreak and then whips off a quick set to get the W under his belt without too much exertion. But what if it goes the distance? Then whoever wins tomorrow has to come back Saturday to play one best-of-five, and if he wins that, comes back a day later to play another best-of-five. On the top half, both Fed and Djoke are playing Saturday's match with two full days' rest under their belt, which makes the turnaround for Sunday a LOT easier.

Worse yet, what if rains all day tomorrow and Rafa/Fernando don't finish until late tomorrow night or (yikes!) have to finish Saturday? The schedulers must be making some serious offerings to the weather gods.

I would think that its time to start thinking about a roof over one or both stadiums at the center.

I know. But I guess it's probably currently too expensive for the USO/USTA at the moment.

At least they scheduled so wisely yesterday knowing the weather situation.

They should have built the stadium with a roof in the first place.

Well...the boyfriend and I are stuck in NY with some other friends. We were at Thursday's night session, which had to be stopped as you all know. Yesterday we didn't even go to the USTA Center because we knew it was going to be a wash. We looked at the hour by hour weather report for the area and we knew it was gonna be a wrap for the day. But, no better place to be "stuck" I guess than NY. Got some good shopping in (love buying fall clothes), spa time, and went to a hot club last night. Today looks good from about 12-3. After that its dicey all the way through the evening. So Serena and Kim and Caro and Wick might be waiting until tomorrow. On our way now to the center. This is shitty. We've never had to deal with it quite like this before. Keep your fingers crossed.

I can feel for Gonzo today. I really can. Otherwise this would have been like a good little practice session for Rafa, and it looks like he should be at or close to 100% for Del Potro. That should be some match. I am really looking forward to it. Hope the weather holds.

The roof, the roof, the roof is in dire.....

need of existence.

Well one thing they should do, provided they get a weather break, is to move the men's doubles final to Armstrong or even the Grandstand if they have to. I understand people like the doubles but let's be real...they need to get both women's semis done today.

please don't get me started on the roof again....the usta plays russian roulette every year with this thing. looks to be dry on sunday, but who is watching mon and looks like maybe tues now? it's really unfair to the players, sponsors and the fans.

At least with CBS replaying old matches on tv we get to see the days when men worn shorter white shorts to play tennis and looked damn fine doing it. Definitely a fashion that should come back.

Has Del Potro got Rafa's number or what?

He's starting to seem like Rafa's next gen kryptonite the same way that Rafa is/was Roger's. Right down to the clutch play on break points that's snuffing out Rafa's chances to convert.

Man oh man, Juan Martin is making Rafa look like Rochus out there.

Back at the start of clay I said Pony was going to make waves and he almost beat Federer. I hope he does so should they play tomorrow.

Back at the start of hard courts I hinted this was likely Pony's year to win the USO...

Two-Hander, I need to start taking your predictions to Vegas!

Terrrific for Del Potro to make his first slam final, but I was kind of hoping for Rafa to follow in Kim's footsteps. That would have made for a great story.

Terrific result for Delpo. He knew he had every psychological edge against Rafa, beating him twice already on hard courts this year, and that's what works against someone who is otherwise the toughest mentally on tour, as Berdych and Youzhny discovered before Rafa solved them (and arguably what Soderling discovered as well). Delpo didn't look rushed or concerned at any point, and might as well have been hitting some balls back and forth in the park on Sunday for all the tension he (didn't) show. This was his moment for the breakthrough and he took it convincingly with pretty much the best tennis I've seen him play yet.

This is clearly the worst surface for Rafa anywhere (with the possible exceptions of Cincy and Shanghai) and it happens to be the only Slam missing from his resume. Unfortunately for him, it's only going to get tougher and tougher to win this event as the injuries mount and the opposition gets more seasoned, and I wouldn't be surprised if looking back this turns out to be the last time he threatened here. As for his season, which started out so brilliantly yet abruptly fizzled, I hope he gets fit soon and competes well at the indoor Masters events (including the Masters Cup, which he had to miss last year and so represents a good opportunity to pick up points) to solidify his lock on No 2, and leave himself poised for a comeback next season.

So the USO has its third first-time finalist for a third year running. Which almost certainly translates into a third straight-sets victory for Fed as well as Title #6. As Delpo demonstrated so painfully in Paris, even up two sets to one he just doesn't have what it takes to defeat Fed anywhere, let alone a Slam final. You know he's going to be pulling for Djoko to do the job for him today.

Del Potro is going to have to tune out the NY crowd in a way he failed to at RG to win tomorrow. Federer had them eating out of his hand today with some help from Djokovic, who let it become an exho instead of a competitive match.

The Fed couldn't have asked for a better opponent in the final. Del Potro will probably be just as uselss against the Fed as he usually is, as all the other green first-time slam finalists have been for him at the USO the past few years. I'm hoping he proves me wrong, but since Rafa went out at the FO, the tour just seems content to hand it to the Fed. I like UrbanSuede's term for it...they're "obediently stepping aside." Good way to phrase it.

Well, I don't think Roddick "stepped aside" for Roger.

Not at the Big W, true, he at least delayed the inevidable, there. And that second set tiebreak where Andy had set point on an easy volley, to go up two sets to none, but blew it? That's more "choking" than "stepping aside," but hey, whatever, Roger still worked harder there than at this USO, where he hasn't played all that great, and still hasn't had to break a sweat heading into the final. Maybe JMDP will entertain us by delaying the inevidable, too?

Nah. He's still one of the Fed's b!tches.

Rogers first service % was bad yesterday and awful today and he is still making his opponents look like club players.

Looks like Rogers sucky service game has now let Delpo back into the match, 1 set each now.

Rogers going to have to step things up like he has in so many previous matches if he wants his 6th straight US Open title.

Most, most excellent!!!

strangely, I'm not upset. maybe it's because Roger already had a stellar year. and I like JMDP.

WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! GO JUAN MARTIN!!!! Fed's serving was abysmal and JMDP blitzed Federer with his forehand!!!! What a wonderful win!! Just like in Australia, Fed goes away in the 5th. Lost both tiebreakerss. Wow...thats a fantastic win for Juan Martin. He did not go away in the fourth like many thought. FedERROR was in full display today shanking that backhand all over the place. JMDP had a great summer with back to back wins over Roddick, this win over Nadal, and now over Federer. Such a deserving champion. Federer seemed to crumble going into that fifth. Losing to a guy playing in his first ever grand slam final? WOW!!!!

Gee, it's a good thing Federer had such an easy opponent today. I must confess my confidence in JMDP was shaken by the first set and shaken again by the egregious end of the third, but I still can't see why you dismissed him so easily after the match he played at the French. He's improved so much since Australia.

Did you see Juan Martin cry? WHAT A BABY! pathetic! And Roger is just as steely as ever.

Mmmmmmm.....crow!

I've dismissed him only because of his past record against the Fed, and he'd never been to a slam final before. Not that unreasonable, no?

Still, this crow's pretty tasty.

As the Fed rides off into the sunset, Rafa's going to have to step up his game if he wants to add more slams to his trophy-case. This kid's for real. And Rafa's high-bouncing deep stuff that gave him such a good record against the Fed is actually a liability when playing this guy. It lands right into his wheelhouse. If Rafa wants to beat this guy, he'll have to master really deep slices with pace...much easier said than done.

I think how Novak and Murray (and Roddick, too, if he hasn't become too discouraged) play this guy will be what becomes interesting.

Good for you, Stretchie Del Potro!

Awww....love the emotion from Juan Martin!!!! What a great moment. With all the talk of Murray, Murray, Murray....Juan Martin comes in to put his nose in the grand slam winners column. So now Murray is the only one of the top guys to not have one a major. Viva Argentina!!!!!!! Where was Federer's fight in that fifth set. He looked so unsure in that fifth set, no?

Probably in his bag with his emblazoned 16 jacket.

I'll post more later, but I'm the first to admit I just didn't give Del Potro enough credit. He had a lot of opportunities to get discouraged and fade away throughout the match, but he hung in there and kept forcing the issue and now he's a Slam champion. The real deal. Well done, Juan Martin.

Classy runner-up speech from Fed also, who of course can't really complain about his career year and is hardly going away empty-handed - but when is he going to start winning on hard courts, eh?

What a great moment for Juan Martin. I love Roger Federer and would have been happy for him as well. I think this was one of the best grand slam matches I have seen in a long time.
It was worth taking most of the day off.

Yeah, what a shame. i guess he'll just have to comfort himself with his FIVE US OPEN TROPHIES.

Yeah, who would have thought a year (or even more a year and a half ago before he went on that summer hardcourt tear) ago that Del Potro would win a major before Murray? Impressive stuff. I like the fact that he's not as dependent on his serve as most guys that tall, although he certainly has a big serve. Still, despite the fact that I've always been bullish on JMDP over the long haul, I really thought he'd fold up after that disaster in the 3rd set. Congrats!

Ooo that was funny! And I seriously wouldn't doubt if he really had one in there.

DEL POTRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i was so f**king annoyed that he wasn't able to put up a fight until he broke fed's serve in the 2nd set.... 16th slam was in the bag. this is f**king great!

awesome awesome awesome! del potro is hot too!!!!

congratulations!

Thats two five set matches in majors this year that Fed just wilted mentally in the fifth set...losing them both 6-2. Did Fed serve for the match at one point in this match? I was back and forth between it and football.

look it up.

someone is bittahhhhh!!!

lmfaooooooooooooo

like federer who did a serena lolsssssss


i love you del potro. i never gave you a chance but thanks for this epic upset!

mental meltdown by federer babyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

I'M NOT BITTER I SAID WAS FINE WITH THIS BECAUSE ROGER ALREADY HAS HAD A GREAT YEAR HE ALREADY HAS FIVE US OPEN TROPHIES I LIKE JUAN MARTIN AND AM HAPPY FOR HIS WIN BUT ROGER DID NOT HAVE A JACKET WITH SIXTEEN IN HIS BAG AND IT'S A BAD JOKE AND NO ROGER DID NOT SERVE FOR THE MATCH AND IF YOU DIDN'T WATCH THEN TOO BAD FOR YOU.

who said that he served for the match? mdterp asked a question.

he was 2 points away from the match.

2 points away from a 2-0 lead.

he is 149-0 when leading 2 love in grand slams.

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!

LOL.....

THE KING HAS GAGGED!

Yeah everyone I'm talking to and even the articles I'm reading said he fell apart mentally after that 4th set. And he was 2 points away from the win in the 4th set. BRAVO JUAN MARTIN!!!! Great summer and wonderful run to the US Open crown. What a great overall US Open. Kim comes back after having a baby and 2 1/2 years off to win, and leader in major singles titles loses to a guy appearing in his first major. What a wacky, wild, unpredictable US Open. I can't ever remember one this wacky in years. Add to that the rain delays, falling of the seeds on the women's side, lineswoman and chair ump curse fests...this US Open will be one to remember for a LONG TIME!! Two deserving champions.



Thank you santana for answering a simple question and not being bitchy about it.

I guess it's easy to win WHEN YOU CHEAT!



terp, it was a joke. I'm just trying to liven things up.

yeah babyy you aren't bittah, just sourgrapingggg whatevah it doesn't matah the great rogah federer choked, epic choke. deal with it, babyyy...so many of his opponents choked on him. it's his time to choke....lol

juan martin del potro cannot be denied!

roger federer and serena deserve each other....lmaoooooo

Um ... who the hell are you? It's like you just popped up to crow about Del Potro.

just because i wasn't posting doesn't mean i don't watch lol you are one hell of a sore loser. don't worry, you're a sore winner too. i remember how you gloat whenever the great federer wins....it's payback, baby. he still the best of all time. so it's all good. but for now, it's federer tears!

obviously, you've never seen this board, or you would know that i am the FIRST to compliment Roger's opponents (especially Rafael) , and I have NEVER gloated over any Roger win. ANYONE on this board will tell you how fair and balanced I am.
Go ahead guys ...

Ok Ok boys...I'm gonna spank both of you. Back to your corners. Federer had an amazing year making the finals of all 4 grand slams, winning the French for the first time and winning his Wimbledon crown back, and he regained #1. He tied and broke Sampras' record. Federer is FINE!!! Amazing victory for Juan Martin. Each camp can draw positives out of this year and it just adds to what will be a more interesting 2010 for men's tennis at the majors. snicks santana Simmer down now...simmer down.

btw, i'm santana, a mets fan, a huge andre agassi fan. it says i joined september 2001, 4 years before you were here. i was even on the old board, back when life was simpler. federer crushed my soul when he beat andre in his last grand slam final. i was never over it. never.....so this is a welcome surprise.........peace, snicks.

snicks, allow me to gloat a little. federer has owned everyone....

mdterp, just having a lil good time.....

the result was really stunning. no way federer should've lost that match.

Actually, I'm fine with Juan martin winning. Like I said, Roger has done what he needed to do this year, so it's all good.
What i really couldn't fathom was when he asked if he could say a few words in Spanish, and Dick Enberg said NO. He asked again, and Enberg said "okay, but hurry".