Juan Martin Del Potro: I Will Need To Be 110% To Beat Novak, But I Am Excited To Play Him [Video]
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After watching Juan Martin Del Potro take a terrifying tumble re-injuring that left knee in the very first game of his quarterfinal match yesterday at Wimbledon, would anyone have believed the Argentine would get up and not just resume but play well enough to beat David Ferrer in straight sets?
Del Potro shook off the early knee issue to dominate Ferrer 62, 64, 76 to reach his first career Wimbledon semifinal. After the match, the concern focused on Del Potro’s knee.
“Is not easy when you are in quarterfinals, central court, and the match just started,” Del Potro said of the fall. “I felt I did the same like four days ago. I think I was close to retire. But to be honest, I don’t want to retire in quarters for first time at the Wimbledon against David Ferrer, you know. And that’s the reason for continuing play. The doctors give me good anti-inflammatories.
“I think I play a really, really nice match today,” he said. “I think I play really focus the important moments. My best tennis came today to beat him.”
Del Potro won the bronze medal last summer beating his next opponent, Novak Djokovic, and now he’s continued to excel on the grass on which he hasn’t lost a set in five rounds of play.
“I will need to be 100% or 110% against him,” Del Potro said. “He’s the No. 1. He’s a former champion here. It’s going to be more difficult match for me like today. But if I’m okay, if I do everything good to be ready for my next match, I will be exciting to play against him. I remember the match during the Olympic last year on the same surface.
“I will try to be ready and do my best.”
The 6-foot-6 Del Potro joins fellow US Open champions Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray along with Jerzy Janowicz in one of the tallest semifinals in Grand Slam history.
Del Potro is was the first player to break up the Big Three at the 2009 US Open and now with the Big Four could he cause another shockwave this weekend?
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