Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro have always respected each other. Their ninth duel came at the 2012 ATP Finals, and Novak scored a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph in two hours and 12 minutes. The Argentine praised the Serb, saying you must deliver your A-game to stand a chance of beating him.
Del Potro claimed two ATP titles on an indoor court in the closing stages of 2012 in Vienna and Basel. With those points, the Argentine qualified for the ATP Finals, his first season-ending event in three years. Juan Martin played well in London and ousted Janko Tipsarevic and Roger Federer to advance into the semi-final and set the clash against world no.
1 Novak Djokovic. Del Potro made a great start against Djokovic and opened a 6-4, 2-1 advantage, controlling the pace and looking good to advance into the title clash. However, the Serb raised his level and sailed through the rest of the encounter to remain on the title course.
Novak won 14 points more and made the difference with the first serve. Djokovic stayed calm while trailing a set and a break, targeting the opponent’s backhand more and delivering four return games that carried him home. The Serb defended five out of seven break points and took charge from the middle of the second set to race over the top.
There was nothing to separate them in the extended exchanges, and Djokovic forged the victory in the shortest and mid-range rallies after hitting more winners than unforced errors.
Novak Djokovic defeated Juan Martin del Potro in three sets at the 2012 ATP Finals.
Del Potro broke at 15 in the first set’s ninth game and fired three winners in the next one for 6-4 in 47 minutes.
The Argentine opened a 2-1 lead in the second set before the Serb pulled the break back in the fourth to end his downfall. Novak seized the second break chance in the eighth game to open a 5-3 gap and held at 30 in the next one to introduce a decider and become a favorite.
Djokovic broke at love at 1-1 in the third set with a forehand winner and fired another direct point from his right wing for a break in game seven and a 5-2 advantage. Novak emerged at the top with four winners in game eight and celebrated a place in the final against Roger Federer.
“Novak deserved to come at the top. He raised his level from the middle of the second set and kept it throughout the remaining games. I played well in the opening two sets. Still, Novak is world no. 1, and he made a difference on the court.
It’s hard to challenge him if you do not play at your best from start to finish, which is never easy. I claimed the opener and was a break in front in the second set, so I had a chance to win the match. I started losing the advantage with my initial shot from the middle of the second set, and Novak’s return worked well and kept the pressure on me,” Juan Martin del Potro said.
