But I still think the final is going to be very tough.”It will be the first Grand Slam final between Djokovic and del Potro, but hardly their first high-stakes duel. But del Potro’s lone victory of late — in the opening round of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 — was one of the blows that sent Djokovic reeling in earnest. Del Potro’s comeback story is on another level. It has been nine years since he played in his first Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open, rallying to defeat Federer in five sets to win in 2009. Since then, there have been four wrist surgeries, including three on his left wrist, which had him understandably contemplating retirement in 2015.

Source: New York Times September 08, 2018 16:30 UTC