WHAT HAPPENED: It was hard to know what to expect when No. 3 Juan Martin del Potro met No. 20 Borna Coric in their Round of 16 match on Sunday in their first meeting. At just 21 years old, the fleet-footed Coric is having a career year, and del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, is back at the top of his form — he hadn’t dropped a set at Flushing Meadows.
And that didn’t change Sunday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium as del Potro rolled through Coric, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1, to make his fifth US Open quarterfinal appearance. He’ll face American John Isner, the No. 11 seed.
The key moment of the match, Del Potro told ESPN’s Brad Gilbert on court afterward, was fighting for and getting the break on Coric’s serve at 4-5 in the first set.
“I think that moment was the key of the match,” del Potro said. “After that… l start to play much better. I think I played even better than the last match.”
Del Potro also addressed the Argentinian crowd that has turned his matches into a rollicking soccer atmosphere. “They are crazy you know,” he said jokingly of his friends from his hometown of Tandil, Argentina. “They have to go back to Argentina and work again after this tournament.”
At his press conference, del Potro continued to appreciate the environment his friends have created while giving them a hard time: "Yeah, they don't have nothing to do. They just practice the songs."
In the first set, del Potro broke at 2-1 and quickly extended his lead to 4-1. But Coric broke back by pushing del Potro around the baseline at 4-2 and both men held to push the match to 4-5 with Coric serving.
It looked like a quick break was in order for del Potro to take the set when del Potro took a 15-40 lead. It took all four set point chances, but a tight Coric backhand error on an ad point gave del Potro the first set.
Another tight game from Coric with del Potro leading 2-1 in the second set again gave the Argentinian the early lead. Coric floated an easy forehand volley that should have gone for a winner well past the baseline; he put his head in his hands in disbelief. Coric wasn't able to recover on the next point, and another forehand unforced error gave del Potro the break.
With Coric grabbing his right leg, a trainer worked on an apparent injury during the next changeover and wrapped the Croat's upper thigh in medical tape.
After the break, Coric held and put the set on del Potro’s racket at 5-3. Coric made the Argentinian work for it, though, blasting a forehand and forcing an error at 40-30. The rest of the game was a different story. Del Potro delivered a 132 mph ace and followed up with a big serve and forehand winner off the return to take the set.
It didn't take long in the third set for del Potro to impose his will. At 1-1, del Potro moved in on a deep approach to put away a forehand winner.
Coric would again try to come from behind after an early break.
The Croatian immediately fell behind in his next service game, going down a quick 0-40. He battled back to 30-40 but missed an easy forehand down the line to give del Potro a 4-1 edge. Coric's serve struggles wouldn't abate — he faced 14 break points throughout the match. In the next game, del Potro closed out the match on his second try, drawing another error from Coric. Del Potro was on and off the court in just two hours and four minutes. Coric had 29 unforced errors in the three sets.
WHAT IT MEANS: Juan Martin del Potro is the only player in his section of the draw yet to drop a set, rolling Donald Young, Denis Kudla, No. 31 Fernando Verdasco and now No. 20 Borna Coric to make his fifth US Open quarterfinal.
Will the trend stop with quarterfinal opponent Isner? At 33, the American is having a career year, with a semifinal finish at Wimbledon and his second US Open quarterfinal after beating Milos Raonic in five sets on Sunday. In July, Isner reached a career-high No. 8 in the world.
Isner will be meeting an Argentinian on fire. Del Potro also achieved the best ranking of his career in 2018 at No. 3 and has been deep into the biggest tournaments this year, winning ATP tour titles in Acapulco and Indian Wells.
Del Potro leads their head-to-head 7-4, with their last hard-court match -- in Miami in April -- going to Isner.
MATCH POINT: Del Potro had nine aces and made 80 percent of his first serves in the win.
