Shock Olympic defeat for Djokovic on Day 2

World No 1 crashes out to del Potro

Maria Esther Bueno covered Novak Djokovic’s first round match against Juan Martin del Potro on Sunday evening at Rio 2016 and witnessed an extraordinary shock defeat.

In a match worthy of a final, del Potro saw off the World No 1 in two tight sets, 7-6(4) 7-6(2), to cause the biggest upset in the history of the Olympic Tennis Event in front of a capacity crowd.

“It was a crazy crowd and an incredible atmosphere in the stadium,” Maria Esther said.

“Del Potro played so well, Djokovic could do very little about it. He just didn’t miss. It was a wonderful match.

“Djokovic was in tears at the end, the disappointment was so great, but all credit to Delpo, who has beaten him before and also broke down in the end.”

The occasion was drenched in emotion from start to finish, with Argentine supporters trying to drown out Brazilians cheering for the Serbian.

An Olympic gold medal is the only thing missing from Djokovic’s trophy cabinet, and he will have to wait at least four more years to put that right.

Del Potro, 27, who has dropped to 141st in the world after almost two years out with wrist problems, did not face a single break point on his serve and hammered 29 forehand winners past a helpless Djokovic.

“I’m very sad and disappointed from my side to go out in a tournament this early, but on the other hand I’m glad a good friend of mine, and somebody who has struggled the last couple of years with injuries, is back and playing at this level,” Djokovic said after the match.

“Yeah, no doubt this is one of the toughest losses in my life and in my career. It’s not easy to handle, especially now, just after the wounds are still fresh.

“But, you know, you have to deal with it. It’s not the first or the last time I am losing a tennis match. But the Olympic Games, yeah, it’s completely different.”

The players shared a lengthy embrace at the net after match point, Djokovic broke down, Del Potro could barely believe the enormity of what he had done and the spirit of the Olympic Games was there for all to see.

“The crowd was behind Djokovic, I think, although you certainly could hear the Argentine support,” added Maria Esther. “It was quite something.

“I feel for Djokovic, for his disappointment. His early loss at Wimbledon and now this will surely affect his confidence going into the US Open, and all the other players can sense the first signs of vulnerability in him, which means they now feel they are in with a chance against him.”

Del Potro, ecstatic with the victory, also sympathised with Djokovic: “He’s a great champion, a friend for a long time. I know how important this event was for him. He wanted the gold medal, but I also believe he knows about my effort.

“I talked to him all through my rehab. I’ll always be thankful for his words. We respect each other so much. It was a spectacular match from any point of view.”

The win was Del Potro’s fourth in 15 meetings against his illustrious opponent, although even he thought victory would be beyond him.

“It was a wonderful evening from the beginning. Since the draw, the anticipation was very high and I believe I did what I planned for the match,” he said.

“I didn’t expect to beat him. I’m surprised with the level I showed. After all the effort I’ve put in to get back to playing tennis, I’ve defeated the number one.

“I felt once again I had the capability to play against the best in the world. After everything I’ve been through with my wrist. I also played well with my forehand.

“When I hit, the crowd was cheering from the stands. I love that. It gives me more motivation. It was a dream night.”

Djokovic will get another chance to experience the Rio atmosphere when he teams up with Nenad Zimonjic to play the Brazilian duo of Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares in a second round men’s doubles match on Monday.

The Serb will be 33 by the time of the Tokyo 2020 Games meaning the Rio men’s doubles could be his best hope of achieving Olympic success.

Meanwhile, Del Potro, who found himself stuck in a malfunctioning lift earlier on Sunday, has blown the draw wide open and can look forward to a second round match with Joao Sousa of Portugal.

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Brazilians dispatch the Brits

It was a day of surprises at the tennis, as Maria Esther summarised: “The other big upset was the Williams sisters, who lost their opening doubles, the first time they had lost an Olympic match, ever.

“It’s a remarkable record, but they have won the Gold medal three times – in Atlanta, Beijing and London – so they too will be very disappointed to bow out so early here in Rio.”

Serena and Venus lost to the Czech pair of Barbora Strycova and Lucie Safarova, while second seeds Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia of France were beaten by Japan’s Eri Hozumi and Misaki Doi.

“There was huge excitement when our local team of Andre Sa and Thomaz Bellucci took out Andy and Jamie Murray in a thrilling match,” Maria Esther continued.

“Unfortunately it was played on the second show court when del Potro was beating Djokovic so there were few spectators.”

The Murray brothers saved six match points during a second set tie-break but were eventually undone by a Bellucci winner, which was aided by a net cord, and sealed a 7-6(6) 7-6(14) victory in two hours and two minutes.

After losing the opening set, the Murray brothers broke in the first game of the second thanks to a double fault from Bellucci, but were unable to press home their advantage.

A second tie-break was required and turned into a classic as the British pair recovered from 6-3 down and went on to save three more match points, the fifth conceded by the worst volley Andy has arguably ever hit, but then saved by an ace from the Wimbledon champion.

The 29-year-old then produced a stunning backhand volley from an acute angle to save the sixth match point but could do nothing with the seventh, much to the delight of the partisan home crowd.

“You don’t get this opportunity very often because the Olympic Games only come around once every four years,” Andy said later.

“The way the match went; it was a tough one to lose but it just wasn’t meant to be. We saved a lot of match points but we just didn’t take our chances.

“I have to concentrate on the singles now so that is my focus,” he added.

“I have just heard that Novak Djokovic has gone out of the singles. I didn’t see the match but that is obviously a surprise.

“I don’t think it changes too much for me as I have to just keep my focus and concentrate on one match at a time.”

The shock result means the top two seeds in both doubles competitions have already been eliminated, with top seeds Nicolas Mahut and Pierre Hugues-Herbert of France having lost to Colombia’s Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.

“Both doubles events are wide open now,” said Maria Esther. “And with two Brazilian pairs in the men’s, there has to be a good chance at least one of them will go far. That will be great for the crowds.

“Unfortunately there is no Brazilian interest left in the women’s events but Thomaz [Bellucci] and Rogerio [Dutra Silva] are both still in the men’s singles, so there is plenty to cheer for!”

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Olympic Tennis Centre and controversy

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Asked about how her stadium is faring, Maria Esther said: “I love it! Especially at night. It looks wonderful under the lights!

“I think the tennis facility is living up to expectations and the players seem to be happy because it is the Olympic Games, something very special.

“I am rather surprised, though, that there are not more spectators on the outside courts, even at night.

“The stadium seems to fill up pretty well at night but, as an example, that wonderful doubles match between the Brazilians and the Brits out on court 2 was only about half full, if that. They sure made plenty of noise though!”

“The Olympics is a very different kind of spectator event with so many different sports on show and competing against each for attention.

“All the venues have lots of room for spectators and it is sad to see so many seats empty for what is the greatest sporting spectacle in the world.

“Maybe that will change over the coming days as sporting achievement captures the public’s imagination.”

Earlier in the day on Sunday there was controversy as German entertainer Dustin Brown made a tearful, injury-enforced exit while high winds sparked havoc and anger.

Brown, playing with his flowing dreadlocks tucked inside a white rasta beanie hat, retired in the second set of his clash with home hope Thomaz Bellucci after turning his left ankle in a nasty-looking fall.

A furious Bellucci, who is a friend of Brown’s, later lashed out at organisers for allowing the match to go ahead as strong winds battered the tennis venue.

World number 86 Brown, who dumped Rafael Nadal out of Wimbledon in 2015, took an injury time-out to have his ankle strapped after his tumble but quit in tears moments later.

Brown had won the first set of the centre court clash 6-4 but was down 4-5 in the second when he called it quits, immediately heading for a scan at a nearby hospital.

Despite a delay of 90 minutes, Brazilian number one Bellucci said the match should not have started as winds of up to 25km/h buffeted the Barra tennis centre, tearing down umbrellas and hoardings.

“It was almost impossible. I don’t know how they allowed us to play like this. I have never played in these conditions,” said 28-year-old Bellucci.

Maria Esther commented: “The weather in Rio can be quite ferocious at times. We are used to that. But it goes as quickly as it comes and conditions improved throughout the day. It was a difficult call, I think.”

Spain’s Rafael Nadal made a winning return to competition on Sunday but the former Olympic champion conceded he was not fully fit after being sidelined over two months with a wrist injury.

Third seed Nadal was pumped up for his return and easily overpowered world number 43 Federico Delbonis of Argentina 6-2 6-1 in the first round.

”The wrist needs little bit more time to be 100 percent recovered,” said Nadal, who withdrew from the French Open in May with a wrist injury and then missed Wimbledon.

“If there is not Olympic Games here I would not be here competing.”

“I really admire Rafa’s courage, to come here with no match play to play the Olympics,” said Maria Esther.

“He won Gold in Beijing but missed out on London 2012 and only confirmed his Rio participation last week, so he really wants to be here.

“It was great to see how well supported he was throughout a rather one-sided match by a rowdy Brazilian crowd!”

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