After losing the first set of his second round match against Olivier Rochus yesterday, No. 24 Juan Martin del Potro took off his shoes and flung them into the crowd, sending one clear out of the stadium and another into a spectator’s head.
Wimbledon 2011 Results: Juan Martin Del Potro Overcomes Olivier Rochus In Four Sets
More players should try this tactic, because del Potro only lost five games from that point on, finding his footing remarkably to close out the match 6-7(7), 6-1, 6-0, 6-4.
Rochus is an incredibly dangerous player on grass, having once held four match points against Roger Federer at Halle in the midst of Federer’s sixty-five match win streak on turf. And del Potro has never been anything more than a mediocre player on grass, having never made it past the second round of Wimbledon.
But something clearly clicked for del Potro today, and if he truly has figured out grass, the whole men’s field needs to get very scared very fast.
Del Potro next faces No. 16 Gilles Simon, with a drool-worthy fourth round clash against No. 1 Rafael Nadal still possible for Monday.
Stay tuned to this StoryStream for more results from Day 4 of Wimbledon 2011. Get live scores at the tournament’s official website, and watch matches online for free on ESPN3.
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