Tennis: Djokovic dismisses Del Potro to win U.S. Open

NEW YORK - A clinical Novak Djokovic dismissed Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3 7-6(4) 6-3 to collect his third U.S. Open title on Sunday, giving him 14 Grand Slams to move into a tie for third on the all-time list alongside Pete Sampras.

A gloomy season that started with elbow surgery following the Australian Open is turning into a brilliant finish for the 31-year-old Serb who has now won three of his last four events including back-to-back majors at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows.

Over the last eight weeks Djokovic has resembled the Grand Slam machine that held all four major titles at the same time in 2016.

Playing on the same court where Pete Sampras claimed his 14th title, Djokovic has endured more disappointment than joy on Arthur Ashe, mining just three titles from eight finals.

The disappointment on Sunday belonged to a teary Del Potro who was back in a Grand Slam final for the first time since the big Argentine won his one and only title at Flushing Meadows in 2009.

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Del Potro beats Isner to reach US Open semi-final

NEW YORK -- Juan Martin del Potro reached the US Open semi-finals for the third time Tuesday, defeating John Isner 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 and ending American hopes of a first men's champion at the event since 2003.

Argentine third seed Del Potro, the champion in 2009, goes on to face either world number one and defending champion Rafael Nadal or Austria's Dominic Thiem for a place in the final.

Del Potro dropped his first set of the tournament against 11th seed Isner, who was playing in his maiden quarter-final at his home Slam.

Despite that, the 29-year-old was never broken in the 3 hour 31 minute match where Isner unleashed 26 aces but was undone by 52 unforced errors compared to Del Potro's 14.

"To reach the semi-final again here in New York in my favourite tournament is very special to me," said Del Potro after his eighth win over Isner in 12 meetings.

"To play John in these kind of matches, it's like an epic.

"We fought the whole match and I survived with my serve which was key."


Del Potro admitted the 33-degree temperatures proved a real challenge with the 10-minute heat rule allowing the players a welcome respite after the third set.

"I had a shower, lay on the table and I didn't want to come back again. It was too hot to play tennis," he joked.

Isner said he needed to change his shirt 11 times.

Del Potro carved out the only break point of the first set in the 11th game but was unable to convert before the 33-year-old Isner claimed the tiebreak with his ninth ace.

That was the first set dropped by Del Potro at the tournament.

Another break point came and went for the Argentine in the second set before he deservedly broke through for 3-1, backed up by a love service hold.

He comfortably levelled the contest, giving up just three points on his own serve in the set.

- Nadal against Thiem -
Del Potro saved the only two break points he faced in the entire match in the fourth game of the third set which he wrapped up in another tiebreak.

Isner was a spent force in the fourth and Del Potro drove in the dagger with a break in the second game consolidated by another in the eighth.

Now he looks ahead to a semi-final where he will either take a 5-11 losing record against Nadal or a perfect 4-0 over Thiem, including a fourth round clash in New York last year where he came back from two sets down and saved two match points.

Isner, meanwhile, will return to Dallas as quickly as he can where his wife is due to give birth to their first child in two weeks' time.

But he played tribute to Del Potro.

"He's maybe playing some of the best tennis ever right now for him," said the American.

Later Tuesday, Nadal continued his pursuit of a fourth title in New York against Thiem, the man he beat to clinch an 11th French Open in June.

Nadal holds a 7-3 career lead over the 25-year-old but Tuesday's clash under the Arthur Ashe lights will be their first away from a clay court.

Nadal, 32, is the only man to have reached the quarter-finals of all four Slams this year.

Victory will put him into a 29th semi-final at the majors.

Thiem, the ninth seed, is bidding to become the first Austrian to reach the semi-finals of the US Open.

Wednesday's quarter-finals will see two-time champion Novak Djokovic face Australia's John Millman, the world number 55 who shocked Roger Federer in the last 16.

Marin Cilic will face Kei Nishikori in a repeat of the 2014 final won by the giant Croat.

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Tennis: Del Potro scraps past Simon to set up Nadal clash

LONDON - Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro earned himself a chance to set the record straight against Rafael Nadal after sealing a place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Tuesday.

He completed a 7-6(1) 7-6(5) 5-7 7-6(5) win over Frenchman Gilles Simon after fading light interrupted their last-16 clash the previous evening with the fifth seed up two sets to one.

Del Potro was in danger of being dragged into a fifth set when he squandered four match points, one with a double-fault, at 5-4 having hit back from 1-3 down.

He eventually finished off world number 53 Simon in the match's third tiebreak to move into his second Wimbledon quarter-final where twice champion Nadal is waiting.

Del Potro was thrashed by the Spaniard in the French Open semi-final last month but feels his game matches up better against the world number one on grass despite losing their only two meetings on the surface.

"It will be a different match that we played in Paris a few weeks ago," Del Potro told reporters.

"I will try to hold my service games most of the time. If I want to beat him, I have to come to the net very often and play hard with my forehands, with my backhands."

Del Potro trails Nadal 10-5 in head-to-head meetings -- his five wins all coming on hardcourts.

BEST CHANCE

With the Wimbledon lawns baked and playing more bouncy than usual after a long spell of hot weather in London, it could be the 29-year-old's best chance to stop Nadal's impressive run.

Del Potro will have to be firing on all cylinders though -- something he was clearly not doing against Simon in cooler conditions on Tuesday as he made a meal of the fourth set.

He looked flat as he was broken to trail 1-3 but he clawed his way back to lead 5-4 with his serve to come.

He led 40-15 but both match points went begging. Simon failed to convert a break point, then a third match point for Del Potro ended with him netting a forehand.

Simon saved a fourth match point when he threw the kitchen sink at a forehand return and he eventually took his fourth break point to level at 5-5.

The next two games went with serve and the match was well into its fifth hour when the tiebreak began.

Del Potro trailed 1-3 but at 5-5 he fired down an ace to reach match point number five and this time Simon cracked, netting a backhand to the relief of the Argentine who roared his approval, happy to conserve energy before taking on Nadal.

"I think I will be in good condition. My body feels okay. It's a big chance for me to face Rafa tomorrow." 

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Tennis: Isner stuns Del Potro to reach Miami final

John Isner produced a blistering Miami Open semi-final display against crowd favourite Juan Martin del Potro to win 6-1, 7-6 (7/2) and snap the former US Open champion's 15-match winning streak.

It was a phenomenal effort from the American who blasted down 13 aces and took just one hour and 23 minutes to floor Argentina's Del Potro and book his place in Sunday's final.


Isner will meet either Alexander Zverev or Pablo Carreno Busta, who play their last four match later Friday.

Isner, 32, arrived in South Florida with just six wins to his name in 2018 but has improved with every match in Key Biscayne and is now eyeing his first ATP Masters title.

"I have played a lot of big matches and not been able to get such a good start but I am playing some of the best tennis I have played in such a long time," Isner said.

"I am so happy. He is so tired and has played so many games and although the first set was quick I knew it wouldn't be like that in the second.

"I didn't think I could turn it around like this after the year I have had so far. I started the tournament well and I have improved with every game.

"I am super fresh and ready to go for the final."

An exhausted Del Potro said he is looking forward to some much-needed time away from tennis before deciding on when to play next.

Winning the final would have seen him climb to world number three but simply staying fit for the French Open in May is the ultimate goal.

- French Open target -

"I don't want to think about tennis right now," said the Argentine.

"I just want to stay healthy and maybe I will miss a few tournaments to get ready for the French Open. We will come up with a schedule for the clay court season.

"I will go home now, eat some barbeque, spend time with friends and not talk about tennis for the next few weeks."

Isner, who won an impressive 83% of points on his second serve, was aiming to reach his fifth ATP Masters final and, finally, emerge victorious from one after four defeats.

The American had never reached the showpiece here but knew that with the fit again del Potro in such devastating form and unbeaten in his last 15 matches, it would take a monumental effort to upset the Argentine and his hordes of followers at Crandon Park.

The American wasted no time in breaking del Potro and racing into a 3-0 lead while sending down five aces on his own serve to brilliantly wrap up the first set in just 27 minutes.

The second set was a tight, emotional affair, going into the ninth game with the match delicately poised at 4-4.

Isner suddenly had a chance to break which was saved by del Potro after the world number 17 hit the net, a mistake which was punished by an ace and drop shot from the crowd favourite.

Deafening chants of 'Delpo, Delpo' rang around the main stadium here as the 29-year-old tried to force a deciding set yet Isner's serve held firm to force a tie-break.

The momentum was with the American, his serve reaching 136 mph as he flew into a 3-0 lead.

Isner's serve was relentless and on target every single time making it impossible for Del Potro to get a foothold in the game, and when an excellent passing shot gave Isner four match points, he took the first with a brilliant drop volley to complete one of the finest wins of his career.

"He served so well and was too good for me," concluded del Potro.

"When he plays like that, he’s one of the toughest guys on tour to beat."

str/rcw

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Del Potro hopes to make another big splash in Miami

INDIAN WELLS -- The stars are finally starting to align for Juan Martin Del Potro who will be seeking his third straight ATP title at the Miami Masters this week.

The south Florida showcase got an additional boost on Sunday when Del Potro saved three championship points to hand world number one Roger Federer his first loss of 2018 in a thrilling 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/2) victory at the Indian Wells Masters.

With the win, combined with injuries to Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, it is now looking like Del Potro is the biggest threat to Federer's rule over the ATP Tour.

"It's time to celebrate this, because I made the big effort to win it," Del Potro said. "And then be ready for Miami. It is one of my favourite tournaments on tour.

"Many Latino-American people are expecting my game there. That make me feel special. I would like to keep surprising myself and see how far I can go."

Del Potro, 29, captured his second ATP title in a row and recorded his biggest victory since his comeback from multiple wrist surgeries.

Federer was 17-0 on the season heading into the Indian Wells final which was a personal best for him.

Del Potro said the first order of business when he gets to south Florida is to do some celebrating with his team.

"I cannot tell you," he joked of his party plans. "It will be Miami, maybe tomorrow, but that's enough."

Del Potro also won the title earlier this month in Acapulco, where he beat three top eight players in a row to clinch his 21st singles crown.

He is back in the top ten rankings this season for the first time since 2014. He dropped to No. 1,045 before beginning his comeback from the left wrist surgeries in 2016.

On Monday, Del Potro moved up to No. 6 in the rankings.

"I don't care about the numbers. I just want to keep winning titles," he said.

Del Potro said something changed for him in his career when he upset then world number one Djokovic in the first round of the 2016 Rio Olympics.

"After the Djokovic match, my tennis life changed," he said. "I feel happy again with my tennis life.

"I won the Davis Cup and I say, 'Okay, I don't have any more pressure to play tennis because I won everything that I what.'"

- 'Happy again' -

But there was still one thing missing on his resume and that was a Masters 1000 title which he earned by beating Federer.

"I have everything that I want, and I want to keep improving my game to see what can I do," he said.

Federer goes to Miami licking his wounds after losing his fourth of six career finals to Del Potro. Overall he holds a commanding 18-7 lead but in finals it's a different story, including the 2009 US Open which Del Potro won 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

"Should I have won the US Open final I don't know," Federer said. "I could have. Should have. I didn't. Same today.

"I am not sure why the final record is what it is. Most of them have gone the distance. It's been tough against him."

Federer said he spent too much time second guessing himself during Sunday's match.

"I let an opportunity like this go by. Having him hit something past me, that's very uncomfortable for him, and you pick the wrong side and you are like 'Why am I picking the wrong side?' Is it him or me? You just don't know.

"Next thing you are shaking hands. Okay, too good. You move on."

For Federer that means to Miami as well, where he is the top seed. He said Sunday he won't decide whether to play in the French Open until after he plays Miami.

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Federer outlasts Del Potro for eighth Basel title

BASEL, Switzerland - Roger Federer displayed some rare flashes of temper as he battled past Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro 6-7(5) 6-4 6-3 for an eighth Swiss Indoors title in front of a partisan Basel crowd on Sunday.

The 36-year-old local favourite, beaten by Del Potro in consecutive Basel finals in 2012 and 2013, was ragged at times and looked in danger of an unwanted hat-trick, but showed all his fighting qualities to turn the match around.

Fourth seed Del Potro, making a late run to try and qualify for next month's ATP World Tour Finals in London, broke serve in the first game of the decider but wilted as Federer stormed back to the delight of a raucous crowd inside the St Jakobshalle.

World number two Federer charged into a 5-2 lead and while Del Potro delayed the end by holding serve, Federer would not be denied and racked up his 95th career title as Del Potro fired a backhand long under pressure.


In edging past Ivan Lendl's 94 Federer is now alone in second place on the all-time titles list which American great Jimmy Connors leads with 109.

However, his chances of snatching the world number one ranking from Rafael Nadal before the end of the season are all but over as the Swiss pulled out of next week's Paris Masters citing a back injury.

Federer, who trails Nadal by 1,460 points in the rankings, has taken regular breaks during the season to rest his body and no doubt opted to skip the Paris tournament to prepare for next month's ATP Finals in London.

Del Potro would have moved into the eighth and final qualifying spot for London had he claimed a third Basel title, but now must reach the semi-finals at least in the French capital to make it to the season-ending tournament.

"All the best for Paris and then I'll hopefully maybe see you in London, too," Federer said after an intense battle with the 29-year-old Argentine who fell just short of claiming a second successive title after winning in Stockholm.

Federer broke serve in the opening game but Del Potro hit back immediately when Federer netted a backhand.

Del Potro struggled to hold serve and cracked at 4-4 under a flurry of Federer winners. Federer could not serve out the set though and was broken as Del Potro took it to a tiebreak.

Federer went 3-0 up but lost six successive points. He saved two set points but Del Potro took the opener on his third chance -- leaving Federer flustered.

The 19-times grand slam champion smashed his racket into the net at one point during the opening set, but it was Del Potro's turn to lose his cool when he dropped serve at 4-5 in the second as the crowd roared Federer on.

Del Potro took the opening game of the decider but looked fatigued as Federer found another gear to surge back.

(Writing by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge and Pritha Sarkar)

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Del Potro stuns Federer at US Open

NEW YORK -- (UPDATED) Juan Martin del Potro sensationally gatecrashed the US Open again on Wednesday, stunning five-champion Roger Federer and shattering hopes of a first New York showdown between the Swiss legend and Rafael Nadal.

The Argentine giant, who won his only Grand Slam title in the city in 2009 by beating Federer in the final after seeing off Nadal in the semis, triumphed 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 in front of a spellbound Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.


The 28-year-old will once again face world number one Nadal in the semi-finals on Friday, a stunning achievement for a man who had saved two match points to beat sixth seed Dominic Thiem in the last 16.

Nadal, who will keep his world number one status following third seed Federer's exit, had earlier defeated Russian teenager Andrey Rublev 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in just 97 minutes.

It will be a sixth US Open semi-final for Nadal and 26th at the majors while Del Potro, the 24th seed, will be playing in just his fourth last-four match at the Slams.

For 36-year-old Federer, it was a first Slam loss of 2017 after he had captured the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles to take his career tally to 19.

"I served really good. I hit my forehand as hard as I could and I played a great match. I deserved to win," said Del Potro who will be in his first Slam semi-final since Wimbledon in 2013.

"This feels like my home court. I played Rafa here in 2009 too. Hopefully I can get the same result on Friday."

Del Potro, whose career was almost ended last year after undergoing four wrist surgeries, wrapped up the first set thanks to a break in the 11th game secured with a blistering crosscourt pass.

Federer, who had a 16-5 winning record over Del Potro ahead of the quarter-final, levelled the tie after breaking for a 3-1 lead in the second.

However, the match turned in the third set tiebreak when Del Potro saved four set points before a weary and error-riddled Federer dropped serve again to trail 3-2 in the fourth.

Victory was Del Potro's eight minutes short of three hours with a deep forehand as Federer was left to survey the wreckage of 41 unforced errors.

"It's hard to explain, I didn't play that badly," said Federer.

"I just ran into a guy who was better on the bigger points. I don't deserve to still be in the tournament."

Nadal will take an 8-5 record over Del Potro into the semi-final where the winner will face either Kevin Anderson or Pablo Carreno Busta for the title.

"Juan Martin is a top player. When he's playing well, it's difficult to stop him. Probably the forehand is maybe the fastest on the tour," said Nadal, who is chasing his second major of the year to add to his French Open.

Rublev, bidding to be the youngest man in 17 years to reach the semi-finals, had no complaints over his loss to Nadal.

"He gave me a lesson: 1, 2, and 2," said the Russian, who lost 16 of the last 19 points of the opening set and finished with 43 unforced errors.

- All American -

The women's semi-finals will be an all-American affair after CoCo Vandeweghe and Madison Keys set-up a last-four duel.

Thursday's other tie will see seven-time major champion Venus Williams face Sloane Stephens.

American 20th seed Vandeweghe claimed a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 win over the Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova, whose brief eight-week stay as world number one ended with Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza taking over.

Vandeweghe's victory means that the US Open will have an all-American semi-final line-up for the first time since 1981 after Keys defeated Estonian qualifier Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-3.

"I won the juniors here when I was 16 and dreamed of playing on the real stage," said 25-year-old Vandeweghe, who also made the semi-finals at the Australian Open, beating then-world number one Angelique Kerber in the process.

The last time four US women were in the semis was 36 years ago when eventual champion Tracy Austin, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Barbara Potter all made it.

Keys, the 15th seed, will be playing in her second Slam semi-final after the 2015 Australian Open.

"It means the world to me," said Keys, who underwent wrist surgery earlier this season.

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Ailing Del Potro escapes brink to beat Thiem

NEW YORK - An ailing Juan Martin Del Potro came back from the brink of defeat to beat Austrian sixth seed Dominic Thiem 1-6 2-6 6-1 7-6(1) 6-4 and reach the last eight of the U.S. Open on Monday.

Del Potro, the 2009 champion who will next face Roger Federer, saved two match points in the fourth set of what was arguably the best of the tournament so far.

"Oh my God, I don't know (I won). What can I say after a battle like this. I was sick the last two days and I just tried to improve game after game," 24th seed Del Potro, who took a pill near the end of the opening set, said on court.

"I fought like this because of you guys, so thank you very much," he added in reference to the noisy Argentine fans who had turned the Grandstand Arena into a raucous soccer-stadium like atmosphere.

"The crowd was on his side. But it was a great atmosphere," said Thiem. "I mean, we're not playing every day in an atmosphere like this."

Del Potro struggled early on, spraying the court with unforced errors and the Argentine called the doctor twice.

At 5-0, he took a tablet. He won one game and had two break points at 5-1 but Thiem, who was looking to book his spot in the last eight here for the first time, coolly closed out the set.

He raced to a 4-0 lead in the second as Del Potro looked completely out of sorts.

The 'Dominator' was in full control, dictating the play with deep forehands, and he sealed the set with a cracking backhand winner down the line.

The question was then whether Del Potro would retire.

But the Argentine found his range with his impressive wristy forehand. His opponent could not keep up the pace and Del Potro easily pulled one back.

The real fight started in the fourth set.

Del Potro broke for 2-1 but Thiem played tighter and broke immediately back. A delightful backhand winner earned him another break for 4-2 and the Austrian served for the set at 5-3.

He led 30-0 but lost his focus and scooped a forehand long to allow Del Potro back in the contest.

Thiem had two match points at 6-5 but Del Potro saved them with consecutive aces -- one of them at 204 kph.

In the resulting tiebreak, Thiem suffered a meltdown and Del Potro levelled with a gravity-defying crosscourt forehand winner.

The decider was tightly contested but Del Potro eventually had the last word. On the second match point, he challenged Thiem's second serve and was spot on as the ball was out, meaning the wiry Argentine got to fight another day.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

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Stuttering Murray faces Del Potro test in Paris

PARIS - Andy Murray faces a serious test of his French Open credentials when the world number one takes on Juan Martin del Potro in the third round on Saturday -- if the Argentine's body holds up.

Briton Murray has dropped a set in each of his first two rounds while Del Potro, who he beat in the Olympics final last year, has been playing through the pain after being doubtful because of back and shoulder injuries.

The Argentine 29th seed, who benefited from Nicolas Almagro's retirement in the second round, is satisfied with his level but said he could have pulled out of his previous match.

"He is, in my opinion, one of the best players in the world when he is fit and healthy," top seed Murray, who has had a disappointing season, said of the 2009 U.S. Open champion.

The Scot, however, is confident, even if Del Potro beat him in their last encounter at the Davis Cup semi-finals last year.

"I definitely feel like I'm capable of winning that match. I'm playing way better than I was two weeks ago," he said. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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Del Potro sinks Murray as Argentina take 2-0 lead

GLASGOW - Juan Martin del Potro delivered a huge blow to Britain's hopes of retaining the Davis Cup when he beat Andy Murray 6-4 5-7 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4 in a five-hour thriller as Argentina grabbed a 2-0 lead in their world group semi-final on Friday.

World number two and Wimbledon champion Murray looked poised to chalk up his 30th victory in 32 Davis Cup matches when he led by two sets to one against the man he beat in last month's Rio Olympics singles final.

But Del Potro, ranked 64th in the world after being plagued by numerous injuries, refused to surrender and condemned Murray to only his third singles defeat in the men's team competition after finishing off the marathon encounter with an ace.

"I won but I still remember Olympic final. This is very important to me and my team and we are looking to reach another final in the Davis Cup," Del Potro said courtside.

"Against Andy you never know when the match will finish. He is a dangerous player, a fighter and great champion. In end I played good forehands and good serves and that was key.

"I am so happy to be playing tennis again after three surgeries. This kind of moment was what I was missing..."

Britain's day went from bad to worse in Glasgow as Guido Pella then beat Kyle Edmund 6-7(5) 6-4 6-3 6-2 in the second singles. Friday's defeats mean the hosts have to win the three remaining rubbers if they are to reach the final for the second year running.

The big serving Del Potro capitalised on Murray's mistakes to take the first set, which included one rally of 41 strokes.

Towards the end of the second, both players, while appreciating the backing of their respective supporters in a noisy crowd, were upset by excitable calls of "out" from spectators.

That happened on the final point of the set to Del Potro's fury, the umpire declining to replay it.

He recovered his composure in the third set, taking two of the three successive breaks of serve while running up a 5-3 lead.

But Murray saved a set point with a superb lob and drew level at 5-5 before taking it on the tiebreak.

Del Potro, who won the U.S. Open in 2009, then showed what he was capable of producing as he pummelled winners from the baseline to bag the next two sets and leave Argentina two wins away from reaching their first final since 2011.

The winner will face either France or Croatia, who are locked at 1-1 in the other last-four tie, in the final. (Reporting by Pritha Sarkar and Steve Tongue, editing by Mark Trevelyan and Larry Fine)

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Murray set for historic match, Puig wins first gold for Puerto Rico

RIO DE JANEIRO - Britain's Andy Murray set up a meeting with Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in the Olympics men's tennis final on Sunday, as he aims to become the first player to retain the singles title.

Meanwhile, Monica Puig clinched the women's singles gold medal for Puerto Rico, defeating Germany's Angelique Kerber. With the victory, the U.S. territory won its first ever Olympic gold medal, and its ninth medal in history.

Del Potro, who entered the Olympic tournament unseeded but gained a huge boost of confidence by defeating world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the first round, earned his spot in the finals by narrowly defeating Spain's Rafael Nadal.

Ranked 141st in the world after two years plagued by injury, Del Potro came back from a set down against Nadal to win the day, prevailing in a tense tie-break in the decisive third set.

The 27-year-old Argentine, who stands 6 feet 6 inches (1.98m), deployed his barrelling serve and crushing forehand to outmatch Nadal 5-7 6-4 7-6(5).

If he can muster the same kind of power against Murray, the Olympic final is likely to be a thriller.

Murray, 29, defeated Roger Federer of Switzerland to win the gold medal in men's singles in London, where Del Potro was the bronze medallist.

Asked about the prospect of winning a second straight Olympic singles gold, Murray said: "It would mean a lot. It's obviously not an easy thing to do - that's why it has not been done before."

Murray's victory on Saturday was far easier for him. He defeated Japan's Kei Nishikori in a commanding display.

The Wimbledon champion and world No. 2 broke Nishikori's serve early on, breezing through the first set 6-1.

Murray served aggressively and quickly closed out the match 6-1 6-4, never giving Nishikori a single chance to break back.

"I think I played really well," Murray told reporters after the match. "I didn't give him any opportunities on my serves and I was very aggressive when I was returning."

BLUE-AND-WHITE FANS

 In the battle between Del Potro and Nadal, the players traded long, bruising rallies to split the first two sets, and each broke the other's serve in the final set. Nadal came up short in the tie-break.

Del Potro has created trouble for the Spanish star before, beating him on his way to a victory at the U.S. Open in 2009, but the Argentine's performance has been inconsistent since that year, and he has been hampered by injury for most of the last two years.

"It means something very big for my career," Del Potro told reporters. "I didn't expect to reach the final beating Djokovic and Rafa."

Del Potro seemed to draw energy from a blue-and-white-clad contingent of fans from Argentina, whose loud chanting from the rafters - typical of Argentine soccer matches - at times drew rebukes from the chair umpire on Saturday.

He entreated the crowd to "treat both players fairly," and at one point reminded them that "this is a tennis match."

Nadal has already claimed a gold medal in Rio with a doubles victory on Friday with partner Marc Lopez. The Spaniard has shown tremendous grit throughout the Rio tournament after months without training. Prior to the Games, Nadal was sidelined with a wrist injury that forced him to sit out Wimbledon this year.

"I just congratulate Del Potro for a great, great event for him," Nadal said after the loss. "I just tried my best until the end, and I'm very satisfied."

PUERTO RICO'S PUIG WINS TERRITORY'S FIRST GOLD

In the Olympic women's singles final, Puerto Rico's Puig defeated Kerber in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, to win the island's first gold medal. With the win, Puig also became the first woman ever to win a medal for Puerto Rico.

Twenty-two-year-old Puig, ranked No. 34 in the world, went into the match as the underdog against Kerber, this year's Australian Open champion.

To reach the final, Puig had already defeated two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the semi-finals along the way.

Puig put on an impressive performance on Rio's centre court, amid cheers of "Si, se puede" ("Yes, you can") from fans waving Puerto Rican flags. She was able to hit ground stroke winners from all over the court, often painting the lines, and leaving Kerber, the world's No. 2 female player, struggling to effectively deploy her signature, punchy counter-attacking style of play.

Also on Saturday, Kvitova of Czech Republic defeated Madison Keys of the United States to win the bronze medal in the women's draw in three sets, 7-5 2-6 6-2.

American Venus Williams also secured a spot in the mixed doubles final scheduled for Sunday. Win or lose, Williams will become the second tennis player in history to claim five medals at the Olympics.

(Additional reporting by Drazen Jorgic.; Editing by Alison Williams and Bill Rigby)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com