Delpomania hit Tandil, newly-crowned US Open champ's homecoming

Every celebration should end with an explosive climax... and Tandil was the biggest, most close to heart venue to celebrate the victory of Juan Martin del Potro.

The newly-crowned US Open champion was greeted by 40,000 people in his hometown of Tandil yesterday!

The US Open champ was paraded through the streets on a fire engine and gave a speech thanking his fans for their support.


Here are some interesting facts about del Potro:

• He switched to tennis after growing up playing football, rugby union and basketball.
• He always wanted to play against others three or four years older—and he’d win.
• The 6-feet-6 Del Potro is known at home as the “Tower of Tandil.”
• Growing up, his friends called him “Midget” and described his long, thin legs as “little sticks.”
• The president of the club where he used to play tennis said del Potro is a great goalscorer in football. The president said, if del Potro had stayed with soccer, he’d be a Maradona or Pele."
• His father Daniel is a veterinarian and mother Patricia a literature teacher.
• He gave his 18-year-old sister Julieta a luxury car he won last year in a tournament in Stuttgart, Germany.

(Images by Daniel Garcia/AFP/Getty Images)

Post-US Open: Juan Martin Del Potro from NYC and back to Argentina

A day after he dethroned Roger Federer in the US Open final, Juan Martin del Potro knew he would have a busy day meeting the press and fans.

He started the day posing at the top of the Empire State Building and appear on several TV shows including NBC's "The Today Show" and CBS's "The Early Show".

Meets with CBS anchors on "The Early Show"

An interview on the "Charlie Rose Show"

Meets with NBC anchors on "The Today Show"

Q & A with Johnny Mac

Then del Potro attended a promotional activity for his sponsor Nike. He was interviewed by John McEnroe on a Q & A session at Niketown NYC.

With fans upon his arriving at the international airport in Ezeiza, Argentina

Later that day del Potro was back in his homeland Argentina, a country who loves football more than tennis.

Del Potro was greeted at the Buenos Aries airport by chants of “Ole, Ole” and “Del Pooo, Del Pooo".

At a news conference in Buenos Aires

The champ is set to return to his hometown of Tandil where the city of 100,000 was expected to hold a parade in his honor.

He will be designated the official “sports ambassador” and receive a key to the city.

(Via AP, Images by Getty Images, Nike)

Post-US Open: Kim Clijsters conquers New York's Times Square

Kim Clijsters who reigns again as the US Open champion was in Times Square yesterday posing with her US Open trophy for the photographers.

Her husband Brian Lynch and their daughter, Jada were also there.

Little Jada started crying when Clijsters gave her to a member of her entourage so that she could do a television interview.


(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

US Open Day 15 Wrap-up: Federer loses a grand slam final to somebody who isn't Nadal

I admit the title of this post isn't from me... I took it from ToniTennis via Menstennisforums.com.

It was an unexpected win by Juan Martin del Potro, no?

Even del Potro himself can't believe he had won, pouring cold water all over his head to ensure he wasn't dreaming.

The victory made him the first South American man to triumph in New York since Guillermo Vilas in 1977.

However, the match was spoiled by Federer's uncharacteristic display, after he launched a tirade at the American chair umpire during a changeover.

Federer complained that del Potro had been given too much time to challenge a line call.

"No, it's too late," an angry Federer said.

"I wasn't even able to challenge after two seconds and he takes 10 seconds every time. Do you have any rules in there?"

Federer then continued, "I don't give a shit what he said. Don't fucking tell me the rules."

Federer's nagging were picked up by CBS microphones and broadcasted live.

Earlier in the women's doubles final, Serena and Venus Williams won the US Open title, defeating top seeds Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-2, 6-2.

(Via AP; Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Juan Martin Del Potro wins the US Open title

Juan Martin Del Potro dethroned Roger Federer 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 in a 5 set thriller to clinch the US Open title.

I'll be back with more updates later.

US Open Day 14 Wrap-up: Heartbroken... It Must Be Love

As always, it's demotivating to blog each time Rafael Nadal got defeated.

In a match that looks like his worst-ever defeat in a Grand Slam tournament, the Mallorcan Matador lost 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 to Juan Martin del Potro, who had beat him twice this year (Indian Wells and Montreal).

Del Potro played flawless tennis and Nadal said the Argentine fully deserved his win, while admitting that he was way below his best and was not in prime physical condition.

In another semifinal match, Roger Federer topped Novak Djokovic 7-6, 7-5, 7-5 with the help of what he called the "greatest shot of his life", a between-the-legs, back-to-the-net, crosscourt winner from the baseline.



In the men's doubles final, Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes celebrated another major victory by beating the no. 3 seeds, Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Lots of love from Paes and Dlouhy

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Kim Clijsters: Back with a bang and wins US Open women's title

Are you surprised? I guess not!

Kim Clijsters defeated Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 6-3 to win the US Open.

That makes her the first unranked player and first wildcard to win a Grand Slam, and the first mother to do so since Evonne Goolagong in 1980.

Light moment with baby daughter Jada

I'm tied up with some work so, I'll be back with more updates on US Open Day 14 later.

US Open Day 13 Wrap-up: Gonzalez eats bagel, Clijsters wins but Serena steals the show, Wozniacki stays in the shadow

Rafael Nadal beat Fernando Gonzalez pretty quickly to win 7-6, 7-6, 6-0 in a match that began Thursday evening.

Gonzalez who seemed not getting enough warm-up kept looking at the sky and scoreboard, perhaps was looking for a sign of rain.

It started to drizzle a bit and Gonzalez sought treatment from a trainer for his feet but that didn't help to delay his lost to Nadal for another day.

Light shower continued through the evening but I was glad that both women's singles semifinals finally took off.

Kim Clijsters reached the final by beating Serena Williams 6-4, 7-5.

Kimmie, I'm sorry I stole the limelight from you tonight.

However the match was marred by controversy after Serena was docked a point for yelling at an official who called a foot fault.

I may look very calm on the outside but guess what, I'm shit scared of Serena inside.

The line judge reported it to the chair umpire which led to the chair umpire awarding a point to Clijsters, ending the match.

Serena already had been given a code violation warning when she broke her racket after losing the first set.

At the press conference, Serena denied she threatened to 'kill the line judge' and it was unnecessary to apologize to the lady. You can read the full transcript here.

In another women's semifinal that took place at the same time, Caroline Wozniacki's victory was overshadowed by the controversy.

Wozniacki will play in her first Grand Slam final after defeated Yanina Wickmayer 6-3, 6-3.

Here's Sunday's order of play on day 14 at the U.S. Open (prefix denotes seeding):

(Starts at 12:00 PM)
1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) v 4-Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
3-Rafael Nadal (Spain) v 6-Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina)
9-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) v Kim Clijsters (Belgium)

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Please get a retractable roof...

You can see, I'm asking for it very nicely.

The showers continued at Flushing Meadows and this time nature has forced the postponement of all of Friday’s three scheduled singles matches which also included the suspended quarterfinal match between Rafael Nadal and Fernando Gonzalez.

Also delayed are the two women’s semifinals, one between Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters, the other between Caroline Wozniacki and Yanina Wickmayer.

Clijsters and her husband Brian Lynch wait in the players' lounge at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for play to commence...

Those three matches were all rescheduled for Saturday and set to have Nadal/Gonzalez begin at noon, followed by Wozniacki/Wickmayer, with Williams/Clijsters slated to start after 8PM.

Assuming the women’s semifinals can be completed Saturday, that final will be moved to Sunday.

If Nadal/Gonzalez finishes Saturday, the men’s semifinals will be Sunday.

This means the men’s final then would be moved from Sunday to Monday.

If you remember last year, the US Open men’s final was played on a Monday for the first time in many years.

(Via AP; Images via Yahoo! Sports)

US Open Day 11 Wrap-up: Juan Martin del Potro cruises into the semifinals

I always believe in Juan Martin del Potro's consistency even though Marin Cilic took the first set in their quarterfinal match last night.

By the time del Potro levelled at 3-3 in the second set, I went to bed because I'm pretty confident about his chance to the semifinal.

As expected, Del Potro sealed it with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 victory.

The second quarterfinal match between Rafael Nadal and Fernando Gonzalez was suspended due to rain.

Here's Friday's order of play on day 12 at the U.S. Open (prefix denotes seeding):

(Starts at 12:30 PM)
Kim Clijsters (Belgium) v 2-Serena Williams (USA)

(Not before 2:00 PM; match may be moved to Armstrong)
11-Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) v 3-Rafael Nadal (Spain)

(Match may be moved to Armstrong)
Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) v 9-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Nadal, Gonzalez match postponed as rain halts US Open

Juan Martin del Potro has to wait for another day to know who he's going to play in the semifinals.

This is because the quarterfinal match between Rafael Nadal and Fernando Gonzalez was postponed after a series of interruptions due to showers during the second set.

Nadal is currently leading 7-6, 6-6 and 3-2 in the tiebreak.

This break might be helpful to Nadal, who called for a trainer in earlier set due to stomach muscle problem that bothered him since earlier of the tournament.

Their match was scheduled to resume tomorrow (not before 2PM) — following the first women’s semifinal, between Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters, which was to begin at 12:30PM.

(Via AP, Image via Yahoo! Sports)

US Open Day 10 Wrap-up: Oudin runs out of magic, Federer reaches 22nd Grand Slam semis

It's curtain call for Melanie Oudin at the US Open but as she stepped out of the Arthur Ashe stadium last night, her life will change forever - as the media said, she'll step into "a world of jostling paparazzi, autograph signing and an endorsement-filled future".

Caroline Wozniacki who ended Oudin's dream run with a 6-2, 6-2 victory, will go into her first Grand Slam semifinals for the first time.

In an earlier quarterfinal match, Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, who never before past a Grand Slam second round, beat Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5, 6-4.

Both Wozniacki and Wickmayer will meet in a Friday semifinal to determine the winner to play for a US Open title on Saturday against either Serena Williams or Kim Clijsters.

In the men's singles, Roger Federer defeated Robin Soderling 6-0, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 to extend his winning streak to 39 at the US Open.

Federer will play Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, after the Serbian pulled off a 7-6, 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 win over the unfit Fernando Verdasco.

Here's Thursday’s order of play on day 11 at the U.S. Open (prefix denotes seeding):

(Not before 1100EDT)
6-Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina) v 16-Marin Cilic (Croatia)

(Not before 1900EDT)
11-Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) v 3-Rafael Nadal (Spain)

(Via AP; Images via Yahoo! Sports)