Del Potro on destroyer Federer: "I wanted to kill him" (Feature)

By Ignacio Naya Jan 27, 2009, 14:24 GMT

Melbourne - 'Sorry' - such was Roger Federer's comment to Juan Martín del Potro after thrashing him Tuesday on centre court and before 15,000 spectators in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

'I wanted to kill him,' the young Argentine admitted after his crushing loss.

Former world number one and living tennis legend Federer comprehensively destroyed Del Potro's game and delivered a humiliating 6-3, 6-0, 6-0 result. However, he then walked up to the net and spoke to his distraught rival.

'Sorry, I always play really well against you,' Federer said, according to Del Potro's recollection.

The Argentine was both amused and desperate about an ordeal that lasted one hour and 20 minutes.

'I only enjoyed it when we were introduced, when we were 0-0. After that I just wanted it to be over as soon as possible,' Del Potro said with a self-pitying smile. 'Today I should just have sat down and let him play alone.'

Switzerland's Federer, who is looking for his 14th Grand Slam title in Australia - which would put him on a level with Pete Sampras' record - delivered 38 winners against only nine unforced errors.

Del Potro's coach, Franco Davin, also watched - perplexed and impotent - as his man got a lesson from Federer.

'The truth is he played perfectly,' Davin said of Federer.

'It was a thrashing,' Del Potro said more graphically. 'I was on the court and I did not know what to do. I had hoped to enjoy the centre court and the full stands a little, but in the end I just wanted it to be over. I have only ever had that feeling very few times.'

Federer did not like losing to Guillermo Canas and David Nalbandian twice in 2007 but since then, however, he has won eight matches in a row against Argentine players.

In Australia, he had shown some weaknesses in earlier games. Against the Czech Tomas Berdych, in the fourth round, he needed five sets to get through, and actually lost the first two.

'But that kind of player gets better as the tournament moves on,' Del Potro noted. 'And once they get to the quarter-finals or the semi-finals they play at their best level.'

He has now lost the four matches he ever played against Federer, who was world number one for four consecutive seasons and now stands second to Spain's Rafael Nadal.

Del Potro, for one, thinks that may yet change back.

'Today he played like the number one.'