Talking Point: Time for del Potro to make the leap

What a difference a year makes. Last August, it looked as though Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were set to torment each other as they battled for the right to chase the new world No.1 Rafael Nadal into the sunset (Roger Federer, of course, was a washed up has-been set to sink down the rankings, never to be heard from again).

Murray and Djokovic faced off later in the year, with the Scot finding the measure of the Serbian in Masters Series action. Since then, while Murray has risen onwards and emerged as the man capable of splitting the R&R rankings dominance, the Djoker has largely fluffed his lines when it has mattered since. Nadals now the has-been. And Federer hasnt fared too badly

In the meantime, the 66 frame of Juan Martin del Potro has loomed larger and larger behind the top four. And yesterday, after making his first Masters Series final before his 21st birthday something Murray didn’t manage the Argentine has established himself as a thoroughly deserving top-ten player.

It is easy to look at Juan Martin del Potro and forget that he wont turn 21 until after the US Open. A quick spin through del Potros fledgling career stats makes for impressive reading. As a 17-year-old, he turned pro in 2005 and finished the year as the youngest player in the top 200. One year on, he was the youngest player in the top 100, then in 2007 the youngest to finish in the top 50.