Del Potro back in US Open quarterfinals after Thiem retires

Dominic Thiem of Austria hits to Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina on day eight of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

At its root, the story captivating fans at Flushing Meadows is the same: the former champion making an unlikely run to reclaim past glory.

“I was close to retired before my third surgery, but after that I always believe in myself to come back in tennis”, Del Potro said.

Del Potro won the Open back in 2009, ending top-ranked Roger Federer’s 40-match tournament win streak in a five-set final after beating No. 3 seed Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the semifinals.

Del Potro, however, insists he is not dwelling on his triumph here seven years ago but feels rejuvenated to challenge again.

Del Potro recently claimed silver at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and has continued his form in NY, booking his place in the quarter-finals after fourth-round opponent Dominic Thiem retired hurt on Monday.

Del Potro got a huge break Monday when he spent only 72 minutes on court.

Thiem took a medical timeout to have trainers look at his right knee after the second set’s fifth game.

Double grand slam victor Stan Wawrinka set up a marquee quarter-final showdown with 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro with a 6-4 6-1 6-7 (5) 6-3 victory over Illya Marchenko of Ukraine at Flushing Meadows on Monday.

“At the beginning of the match it was basically OK”, he said, “but from the end of the first set, beginning of the second set, it got worse and worse”.

“Sometimes it bothers me a little bit, but I can deal with that”. Now it’s 2014 French Open runner-up Halep’s turn to try to deal with the serve of Serena Williams, who reached a tournament-best 126 miles per hour, delivered 11 aces and won 28 of 30 first-serve points against Shvedova.

The 23-year-old Austrian had needed five sets to beat Australia s John Millman in the first round and four to get past Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in the last 32.

“I never expected to play that many matches, of course, this year”, Thiem said.

He is still yet to drop a set, after dispatching 11th seed David Ferrer and American Steve Johnson in the earlier rounds, and he will now face either Stan Wawrinka or Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko in the last eight.

If he manages to find a way past No. 3 Wawrinka and, presumably, No. 2 Murray, del Potro would be the first wild card to reach a US Open final and the lowest-ranked Grand Slam finalist since rankings were instituted in 1973. He will play third-seeded Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals, with a potential meeting against No. 2 Andy Murray in the semifinals. The other men’s quarterfinal Wednesday will be second-seeded Andy Murray against No. 6 Kei Nishikori after both posted commanding straight-set wins.

Halep finished with 25 winners to 18 unforced errors and, besides short lapses where the game to seemed to fade away, played another outstanding match to return to the U.S. Open quarterfinals. He’s already in his first major quarterfinal since 2013 Wimbledon.

“I made a lot of returns off first and second serves and was happy with my return game today”, Nishikori said.