By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, October 22, 2016
Juan Martin del Potro defeated Grigor Dimitrov, 6-4, 7-5, to advance to the Stockholm Open final where he will face sixth-seeded Jack Sock.
Photo credit: IF Stockholm Open
Stockholm seeds are endangered species when facing Juan Martin del Potro.
Thumping his serve and forehand with authority, del Potro dismissed second-seeded Grigor Dimitrov, 6-4, 7-5, to advance to his second final of the season at the Stockholm Open.
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"It was a really nice match," del Potro said. "I think we both played really good tennis. the crowd enjoyed our tennis today and it was really fun as well. I think I did a good job today. I'm looking forward for tomorrow."
The 2009 US Open champion has not surrendered a set en roue to the final, defeating three seeds along the way, including seventh-seeded John Isner in the opening round and third-seeded Ivo Karlovic in the quarterfinals.
It was del Potro's fourth victory over Dimitrov in as many meetings following a 6-4, 6-2 sweep of the Bulgarian on the grass of Stuttgart in June.
The Argentine wild card will play for his first title since the 2014 Sydney when he faces 2015 runner-up Jack Sock in Sunday's final.
The sixth-seeded Sock subdued fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-4 in a two hour, 48-minute semifinal.
The American No. 1 broke for a 3-1 edge in the final set when Zverev double faulted and spiked his head racquet to the court three times in a row. After gifting the break, Zverev handed the mangled mess of a racquet to a kid in the front row.
Sock, who could not convert a break point that would have extended his lead to 5-1, gave back the break in the seventh game when he scattered an inside-out forehand.
The 23rd-ranked Sock used his menacing topspin forehand and subtle touch to break again in the 12th game, earning a place in his third final of the season a year after bowing to Tomas Berdych in the Stockholm title match.
The Olympic silver medalist broke to open, managed his slice backhand shrewdly and hammered his massive forehand to deny Dimitrov opportunities to attack.
Targeting del Potro's weaker backhand wing with a variety of slice and inside-out forehands, Dimitrov could not crack an opening. Del Potro stamped a love hold to take a one-set lead after 42 minutes.
Planting a forehand on the line that del Potro believed landed wide, Dimitrov denied a break point in the third game. The Bulgarian burst forward for a high backhand volley holding for 2-1.
A scrambling Dimitrov warded off a break point in the fifth game, holding for 3-2 when del Potro sailed a forehand beyond the baseline.
Controlling his one-handed slice effectively, del Potro attacked behind a slice and blocked a high forehand volley. The ball appeared to miss the sideline wide, prompting a plea from Dimitrov to chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani to no avail as del Potro held for 3-all.
Timing his forehand beautifully, del Potro banged out a break in the seventh game. A sharp-angled off forehand pass followed by a pulsating forehand return winner gave the Argentine break point. When Dimitrov ballooned a forehand beyond the baseline, del Potro had the crucial break and a 4-3 lead.
Digging in, Dimitrov followed a smash forward for a forehand volley and a second break point. Del Potro missed the mark with a slice backhand as Dimitrov broke back for 4-all.
All the good work Dimitrov did to level the set dissipated in the 11th game. Lining a flat forehand into the top of the net to face break point, Dimitrov pinched his forehead as if pained by the error. He compounded that miscue with his second double fault gifting the break and a 6-5 lead.
On the first match point, a running forehand down the line from Dimitrov was called out. Lahyani correctly over-ruled the call. On his second match point, del Potro drove a massive serve winner out wide to close in one hour, 42 minutes to reach his first final since the Rio Olympic Games.
"I didn't expect to win this kind of matches this year," said del Potro, who will lead Argentina's quest for its first Davis Cup title against host Croatia in next month's final. "I'm so glad to keep playing even better every day. It's very important for me, this tournament, but also very important for me and my country for Davis Cup (final). I will try to be focused for tomorrow, we'll see."