Juan Martin Del Potro sees off Tomas Berdych in the fourth round – French Open 2012
Argentine tennis icon, Juan Martin Del Potro, finally defeated the 26-year-old Czech, Tomas Berdych, in a tight four-setter that was played over a course of two days. The clash was played to decide the successful quarter-finalist
of the Roland Garros French Open; Del Potro sneaked a win 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.
It wasn’t as easy as it seems. Both players fought their heart out to win the clash and with just a meagre lead, the Argentine 10th seed was able to upset the sixth seed Czech on Monday. Rain interrupted the match on
Sunday with Del Potro leading the scores in the fourth set.
The opening set witnessed a gruelling battle and both contenders fought like super humans; converting winners into returnable shots and making life difficult for their rivals. With just a single exchange of breakthroughs in the
set, a tie-breaker was enforced. Berdych took an early mini-break but lost four points on the trot that forced him to lose the opening set.
However, the Czech replied in terrific fashion; won the second set with a resounding lead. He broke serve twice on two different occurrences and thumped the Argentine on the back foot. The whole momentum built in the opening set
was shattered into the pieces.
Del Potro didn’t lose heart and kept on knocking at the door. He started the third set in dramatic fashion; saving a breakpoint and then winning one in the following game to take a lead of 4-2. He broke serve again in the final
game to sneak the third set and once again post a set lead of 2-1.
The fourth set was majorly played on Monday when both players were fresh. However, the mental toughness of the Argentine proved stronger than his rival as he smashed him down to an early lead. However, the Czech replied back in
the seventh game with a breakthrough and kept the scores together.
Del Potro held his serve in the 11th game and smashed the Czech with three straight winners in the following game to take the deciding breakthrough. He will face the Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer, in the quarter-finals.
Tags: