Juan Martin del Potro is a man of many qualities, but Wimbledon 2016 will be remembered for his tremendous fight.
After the lengthy battle to overcome wrist injuries and even compete again at The Championships, del Potro showed similar spirit in an unlikely and emotional win over No.4 seed Stan Wawrinka in the second round.
But the fight against Lucas Pouille proved one too many for the weary Argentine. Against a dazzling and nimble opponent, del Potro was simply outclassed, their suspended round three encounter ending with Pouille the winner, 6-7(4), 7-6(6), 7-5, 6-1.
“I think he was really smart,” said del Potro after the 2hr 17min match, the Argentine acknowledging that Pouille cleverly exploited the stroke that has been most compromised through his injuries.
“Because he came to the net all the time to my backhands, and I couldn't make passing shots. “And then sometimes he plays backhands down the line, and I don't know where he (was) going to shoot any time. I was expecting the cross backhand and then he plays it down the line. He played really well.”
In the context of the two-and-a-half years in which he was absent from Grand Slam action, so too did del Potro, at least in the initial stages. Facing a first-time opponent in 22-year-old Pouille, del Potro pressured with six break points in the opening set, before claiming it in the tie-break.
As hard as he has fought, though, recent physical battles have taken their toll on the 2013 semi-finalist.
As the match wore on, del Potro’s energy appeared to wane. He trailed by two sets to one when play was suspended due to fading light.
“Of course, as you can see I'm exhausted. I finish really, really tired this tournament,” del Potro noted. “My body is hurting everywhere, but that's normal after a big match against Wawrinka. I have to keep working hard, because in the future I will need to be ready between matches and feel better physically than today.”
By contrast, the overnight interruption barely disrupted Pouille’s momentum. On resumption, the Frenchman quickly regained his edge as he claimed a break of serve to lead 3-1 and then won every game that followed.
His impressive movement and effective touch contrasted with that of del Potro, who was further damaged by the 22-year-old’s big serve and a confidence that steadily grew throughout the two hour, 47 minute match.
Pouille hit 18 aces and 73 winners, which easily accounted for his 29 errors. Undaunted at the net, where he won 47 points in the 68 time he ventured there. Pouille will now feature in a fascinating fourth round contest with No.19 seed Bernard Tomic.
For del Potro, there was disappointment but no shame in losing to Pouille, who sits at a career high world No.30 after a first career final in Bucharest and a semi-final showing in Rome this season.
“Pouille is a great player,” del Potro pointed out. “He's 30 player in the world, and I'm not losing against no one, you know.”
Del Potro is not losing perspective either, the 27-year-old candidly acknowledging the bittersweet nature of his 2016 exit.
“I'm feeling well just to be playing tennis again after almost three years. That means a lot for me,” he said. “But now in this situation, it's tough to say something positive, because I just lost a really tough match.
“If I'm still smiling after this loss, that means I don't care about the match. And of course I wanted to win today, but I couldn't."
Still after so much time on the sidelines, there is no timeframe for success. “I'm not hurried to play better,” del Potro added. “I'm not hurried to grow up in the ranking. I just have to stay patient and keep working hard, trying to get better as soon as I can.”