Talking Points: Del Potro vs Wawrinka

Argentinian Juan Martin Del Potro- ranked 165 in the world- produced a stunning upset to send 4 seed Stan Wawrinka packing from the Wimbledon Championships 2016. We at Essentially Sports take a look at the most important talking points of today’s game.

Wawrinka’s Unforced Error woes

Wawrinka was definitely not in rhythm during the entire course of the match. While there were glimpses of brilliance from him with a few winners here and there, it’s the unforced error count that was the actual cause of his downfall. Wawrinka has struggled on the faster grass courts, as compared to his preferred clay surface. Despite producing some spectacular forehand winners, it was Stan’s backhand wing that actually disappointed, producing a number of unforced errors. Not his best day at the office, but certainly not his worst.

Del Potro’s groundstrokes

Wawrinka did well to keep Del Potro’s cannon-like forehand at bay. However, what seems the cause of worry for Del Potro lies in backhand swing. Ever since the injury on his left wrist and the subsequent injury layoff, Del Potro has been cautious in his comeback, playing the slice shot more often than not. Not playing a conventional backhand shot means that he won’t be able to inject pace onto the ball and he is bound to face some difficulties in the coming rounds.

A Successful Comeback?

This was Del Potro’s biggest win in three years and his best result since he began his comeback. Beating Stan, a two time Grand Slam Champion in recent years, is quite an achievement for him, especially because of the fact that he isn’t playing to his full potential yet. His towering serve was the highlight of the match tonight, causing Wawrinka some serious problems with the return. Once he gets back in the groove, and improves his gameplay, the former US Open champion will definitely be a threat to the top players. Having a rank of 165, we can expect upsets in the first few rounds of upcoming tournaments. Certainly, a remarkable return to the tour. Welcome Back Del Potro.