Rafael Nadal v Juan Martn del Potro - live!
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First set: Nadal 3-2 Del Potro* Much as in his encounter with Muller in the previous round, Nadal looks utterly untouchable on his own serve. Another hold to love.
First set: Nadal* 2-2 Del Potro From the vantage point of the BBC's camera behind the court, Del Potro looks almost absurd, towering over the court in such a way that it seems remarkable that he can even get the ball down fast enough for it to come down to earth inside the service box. When he opts for a touch of topspin on second serve, the ensuing double fault seems as though it was the only possible conclusion. But when the first serves go in, there is little Nadal is able to do about them, and Del Potro drops only one further point.
First set: Nadal 2-1 Del Potro* A rally, at last, as Nadal chases Del Potro around the baseline, whipping his racket up behind his head like a tomahawk with every forehand. Del Potro races this way and that, digging out returns, but there was only ever going to be one winner. Nadal thrashes a backhand winner to bring up 40-15, before seeing out the hold.
First set: Nadal* 1-1 Del Potro A scruffy first service game for Del Potro, mixing up unreturnable serves with others that plough into the net at knee-height (well, shin height for him). Nadal, though, is also feeling his way into this game, clumping a forehand long here and shanking another there. Del Potro holds to 15.
First set: Nadal 1-0 Del Potro* He might have a wingspan that would make a ptero! dactyl w eep with envy, but Del Potro is still left lurching at thin air as Nadal fizzes down his first ace, the ball hopping away from the Argentinian off the inside tramline on the deuce court. Nadal holds to love.
Here we go Nadal to serve first.
Checking the forecast We may see the roof closed on Centre Court before this match is out - there are whispers of rain in the vicinity, but the match officials have chosen to start the match with it open and see how we go.
Form is not the only issue, of course ... Even before his injury woes, Del Potro was known for being as useful on grass as a talking towel. This is the first time he's gone beyond the third round at Wimbledon - and at one point it didn't look like he would go this far, becoming so frustrated during his match against the 5ft 5ins Belgian Olivier Rochus that he wound up throwing a shoe out of the arena in frustration. But he seems to be finding his stride on the surface now, and on paper it should suit him well. Players may complain about the grass not being as fast as it used to be, but here is no doubting the fact that a big serve is still a huge asset on this surface, and Del Potro certainly has one of those.
Preamble Afternoon folks, and welcome to the biggest match of the men's singles so far at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships. No disrespect intended to Messrs Murray and Gasquet, Federer and Youzhny, nor Djokovic and Llodra, but this is without a shadow of a doubt the match-up that has sparked the greatest excitement SW19.
Little wonder. Twenty-one months have passed since Juan Martn Del Potro stunned New York, powering his way to US Open victory but few who watched him then can have forgotten the devastating elegance of his 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 demolition of Rafael Nadal, nor indeed his five-set victory over Ro! ger Fede rer in the final.
He remains the only player ever to have beaten both of those players in a single grand slam, and while a wrist injury, then a hip complaint, have derailed his career in the interim, there is no question that his talent remains. Nadal was within his rights to grumble when surveying last week that his opponent today is not your typical 24th seed.
That said, he is not at the levels of 2009 either, while Nadal has looked typically imperious thus far. He will expect to win this. But then, he probably did at Flushing Meadows too.
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