Watch and follow live text commentary of Roger Federer versus Juan Martin Del Potro at the Cincinnati Masters tonight.
ROGER FEDERER SETS UP A THIRD ROUND CLASH WITH JAMES BLAKE AFTER A STRAIGHT SETS WIN OVER JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO
Federer 6-3, 7-5 Del Potro: Two years ago, Federer was just 2 points away from victory in that US Open final and you just wonder whether those memories will be playing through his head right now...he tenses up a little again with the finish line in set, sending a routine mid-court forehand long and Del Potro has a chance at 30-30. Bad miss though from the Argentine, he was all set to unload one of those trailblazer forehands but went long...Federer makes no mistake this time and he's dodged a bullet by coming through that clash in straight sets. Top quality performance from the 4-time champion.
Federer 6-3, 6-5 Del Potro: Federer uses his forehand expertly to push Del Potro out of court before setting up the winner to move to 30-30....the Argentine senses the danger and he's throwing the kitchen sink at the Swiss in this rally. Federer though digs in at the back of the court, hustling from side to side and throwing in those beguiling backhand slices to absorb all the paces. Eventually Del Potro cracks and lands his forehand halfway up the net....BREAK POINT. Last time he came up with an inch perfect 2nd serve, this time......not much he can do as Federer clips the sideline with a forehand and he'll serve for the match.
Federer 6-3, 5-5 Del Potro: The Federer serve is firing on all cylinders once more and he dishes up a easy hold to 15. If you were going to write a guide on how to serve to stay in a set, that game would provide the perfect illustration...
Federer 6-3, 4-5 Del Potro: Every so often Del Potro's feet appear to get embroiled in glue and he strikes the most lifeless of shots. Gets a bit lazy again here and a weak backhand into the net gives Federer a real chance at 15-30. Big serve down the T and Federer can only net but then a double fault gives the Swiss a break point, almost a match point the way Fed's been serving....2nd serve from Del Potro could barely have been better though, smack on the line and there's nothing Federer can do about that. The Argentine survives.
Federer 6-3, 4-4 Del Potro: Whenever Federer strays into the Del Potro hitting zone he finds himself in trouble...tries to run round his backhand but Del Potro nails a return into that corner and Fed find himself a little jammed - 15-15. Del Potro misses a cross-court forehand by a whisker though, that must have been close and then Federer comes up with a couple of solid volleys to move to 40-15. Another service bullet from the Swiss and it's 4-4.
Federer 6-3, 3-4 Del Potro: Federer did a fine job in the first set of neutralising the Del Potro serve with those sliced and blocked returns of his but Del Potro is just hitting his spots a little too accurately for the Swiss right now and there's not much he can do. Del Potro holds to 15 and Federer has to be very careful here that he keeps his concentration.
Federer 6-3, 3-3 Del Potro: Federer looks in the zone as he launches a booming serve and then forehand to move to 30-0 but Del Potro gets a few returns in his strike zone and Federer can't handle the pace...suddenly out of nowhere it's a break point to the Argentine. First of the match. Federer just ruffles his fringe then unleashes a new wave of serves and he holds on.
Federer 6-3, 2-3 Del Potro: A break for Federer now and it really would just kill off this match but although he's getting in most of the rallies on the Del Potro serve he can't quite find the finishing touches. A backhand down the line goes just agonisingly wide and he fluffs a slice return as Del Potro moves to 40-0. Federer slams a backhand pass around a flailing Del Potro to get himself back in touch at 40-30 but Del Potro wrong-foots him with a forehand and Federer just can't quite make that breakthrough at the moment.
Federer 6-3, 2-2 Del Potro: Federer does make the art of serving look so gloriously simple. Not just that but his touches around the net are so deft I'd trust him with my mother's china. Delighful little backhand volley from the Swiss, scooping the ball up off his shoelaces to move to 30-15 and he holds to 30 as Del Potro moves a little too sluggishly to deal with a full blooded forehand into the corner.
Federer 6-3, 1-2 Del Potro: It's quite a sight when these two go at it full blooded from the back of the court. Federer all guile and smooth footwork. Del Potro all brute power. Power eventually prevails in this game as Del Potro digs himself out of another hole with a couple of bludgeoning serves from 30-30.
Federer 6-3, 1-1 Del Potro: More pinpoint serving from Federer who races to 40-0. Del Potro really not getting a chance to get into these games at the moment. He eventually wins a point as Federer experiments a little with a drop shot, sending it into the tramlines. A sliding serve out wide is bang on the money and it's another easy hold.
Federer 6-3, 0-1 Del Potro: Del Potro's never really had the chance to get into this and he's in all sorts of trouble at the start of this set. A forehand clips the top of the net and Federer's up the court and onto it in a flash to bring up 0-30 and then a limp backhand into the net sees him facing 3 break points. Del Potro saves all three, the 2nd with a blistering forehand after a fierce baseline rally. Federer's not letting up though, Del Potro can't deal with a deep return and it's break point 4. SAVED AGAIN...and then a 5th chance goes begging, Del Potro firing an ace out wide....eventually he edges through despite being completely outplayed at times..
Federer 6-3, 0-0 Del Potro: Not even the hint of a wobble from Federer as he serves out the set to love, fittingly running round his backhand to nail a trademark forehand. Del Potro hasn't really had the merest sniff of a break so far. Very impressive from the Swiss maestro.
Federer 5-3 Del Potro: Del Potro shanks a forehand well over the baseline, not the best of starts when serving to stay in a set but he pounds down a couple of bombs and a second serve ace which lands plum on the service line, means Federer's gonna have to serve for it.
Federer 5-2 Del Potro: Del Potro is at the mercy of the Federer serve and forehand right now and enough classy 1-2 punch takes the Swiss to 30-15. He then gets a tad lucky, making a horrible mess of a forehand volley but the mishit doesn't really bounce nicely for Del Potro and Federer has a easy putaway to go 40-15. Nothing lucky about the next one though, Del Potro absolutely lasered a return straight at the feet of the serve-volleying Federer, but the Swiss casually feathers it over the net as if it were powder puff. Pure class.
Federer 4-2 Del Potro: Federer really looking to be aggressive and take the game to Del Potro. He races into the net behind a heavy forehand but doesn't quite get it wide enough and Del Potro is more than equal to the task, ripping a backhand winner down the line. Doesn't stop Federer who continues to press, ripping an inside out forehand to move to 30-30. Del Potro arcs a third ace out wide but his first double fault gives Federer a mini chance at deuce. Can't take it though, slapping a forehand over the baseline and Del Potro stays alive in this set.
Federer 4-1 Del Potro: Outrageous from Federer, half-volleying a winner off his toes from back on the the baseline. The Swiss swats down a couple of aces to seal a love hold and he's firmly in the driving seat now in this set.
Federer 3-1 Del Potro: There's no player in the world as capable of injecting sudden pace as Roger Federer and the Swiss glides up the court to dispatch another trademark forehand and suddenly here's a half chance at 15-30. A big ace and a razor sharp forehand pass give Del Potro game point. The Argentine's struggling to close this one out though, 3 game points go begging and then a beautifully constructed point from Federer, luring his opponent forward with a drop shot and then punching away the volley, saves the fourth....and now here's a BREAK POINT for Federer as Del Potro sends a volley long...another poor backhand into the net from the Argentine and Federer's made the first decisive move of the contest.
Federer 2-1 Del Potro: Federer ends up in a spot of trouble again on serve as Del Potro punches a backhand return cross-court past the stranded Swiss to move to 15-30. Not quite sure he intended that. Again though, Federer appears only midly concerned, swatting down two aces and then leaping majestically to angle away a high backhand smash and hold once more.
Federer 1-1 Del Potro: Federer laces a forehand down the line to take the opening point but Del Potro is quickly into his stride, showing us the vast amount of power at his disposal as he crunches a mid-court backhand to move to 30-15. The two are feeling each other out from the back of the court at the moment and Del Potro slaps a huge forehand winner despite being several feet behind the baseline to level things up.
Federer 1-0 Del Potro: Not the most comfy of starts for the Swiss who flops a backhand halfway up the net to put himself in a spot of bother at 15-30. No matter though. A couple of fizzing forehands re-address the balance and a thumping ace out wide clinches the hold.
01.42: So we're ready to go. Federer won the toss and will serve...
01.40: Hard to believe Del Potro is still only 22. Plenty to look forward to for the Argentine and his fans. He's already won 2 titles in 2011 but hasn't enjoyed the best of summers so far. Looking to turn that around here.
01.38: The winner of this one faces James Blake in the last 16. Good stuff from the 31 year old this week, he outclassed Fabio Fognini earlier tonight. Maybe not quite an Agassi style revival but it took guts to go back and play challengers given the stages he's been on
01.35: Players out on court. Rog looking as serene as ever in a dark blue shirt and white shorts. Del Potro going with a lighter blue top. Good night for Nike who sponsor both these players, plenty of prime-time TV promotion going on for them.
01.31: Well hello and welcome to tonight's coverage of Roger Federer's second round clash with Juan Martin Del Potro. If you're in Europe, we hope you can keep the midnight oil burning for another couple of hours, it should be worth it ! If you're in the States, well settle down and enjoy what should be a thrilling evening's tennis
The most famous meeting between the two players came in the 2009 US Open final where Del Potro dethroned Federer in five thrilling set. Federer had previously won the title every year since 2004 and he admitted earlier this week it's one of the most painful losses of his career.
"Obviously having all the chances, it was a tough one to lose, definitely one of the bigger losses in my career, I think, because I really think it shouldn’t have gone away,” he said.
Both players had fairly indifferent tournaments at the Montreal Masters, losing early on and Federer has now not won a title since Doha right at the start of the year. He insists it is something he is determined to change.
“It maybe doesn’t look like I’m making changes, but I’m definitely making adjustments," he said. "For me, I think it’s tweaking little things here and there in a match when it’s not going so well. If it’s not working, then you have practice to go back to and get ready for more. That’s my approach, really.”
