Last night I got to see what promised to be a very interesting battle between two great champions, as Robin Soderling and Juan Martin del Potro clashed in the third round of the Miami Masters. Robin has been in superb form this year winning already three titles, while del Potro experienced a recent resurgence after the injury that sidelined him for most of the 2010 season. I am slowly turning into a del Potro fan as I really appreciate the effort he put into his recovery. It must have been extremely frustrating to sustain the injury while at the peak of his career. However, he remained positive, worked hard, battled doubts and uncertainties and made it back where he probably belongs, i.e. among the best players in the world.
The first signs of rejuvenation were shown in Australia, where del Potro scored his first wins in months. He continue to impress during the American hard court season where he played two back-to-back semifinals, at San Jose (i.e. lost to Verdasco) and Memphis (i.e. lost to Roddick). He then captured his first trophy since the 2009 US Open at Delray Beach by overcoming Serbian Jarko Tipsarevic in the final. He carried the momentum at Indian Wells where he beat Stepanek, Ljubicic, Dolgopolov, Kohlschreiber and Robredo, before failing to Nadal in the semis.
Getting back to the match against Soderling, I honestly think it gave us the most conclusive proof that the Giant Killer from Tandil is back at his best. The two have very similar styles as they both possess powerful serves and killer forehands. Nevertheless, del Potro held the upper hand from the very beginning. I was really impressed by his solid, flawless game. Besides his usual weapons, his return of serve was just magnificent. By constantly trying to stay aggressive and by succeeding to neutralize Swede's powerful serve, Juan Martin was able to undermine his opponent. At the end of a surprisingly short battle, del Potro came out on top, administering a clear defeat to his higher rank rival. It was by far the most important victory since his comeback and, based on his current disposition, I foresee it won't take long until the Argentinean will make a top 10 return. For me, he's just below Nadal and Federer. Nowadays, Djokovic raised his level and could be a tough nut to crack, but I think that if del Potro unleashes his full potential, he definitely stands a chance of turning the tables. If he stays injury free, I predict a great future for this Giant who can rule supreme.
photo: GETTY IMAGES
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