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Why this year’s US Open was so awesome

By Veronica Elizabeth Bruno

Sep 11, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Stan Wawrinka (SUI) poses with the trophy after his match against Novak Djokovic (SRB) on day fourteen of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Stan Wawrinka (SUI) poses with the trophy after his match against Novak Djokovic (SRB) on day fourteen of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 7, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina waves to the crowd while leaving the court after his match against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland (not pictured) on day ten of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Wawrinka won 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina waves to the crowd while leaving the court after his match against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland (not pictured) on day ten of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Wawrinka won 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Juan Martin del Potro’s wild card

Del Potro’s amazing comeback continued at the US Open as he made it to the quarterfinals in a match against eventual US open champion Stan Wawrinka in the quarter. One of the few grand slam winners outside the Big Four (or Five, counting Wawrinka himself), del Potro showed what he was made of throughout this season getting to the Olympic finals with Murray and winning the Silver Medal, and then progressing so far in the final grand slam of the year. All his multiple wrist surgeries behind him and with the wild card into the US Open, he thrived at the grand slam where he won before. A fan favorite in Rio and here in Flushing Meadows, his epic season didn’t culminate in a Cinderella final win at the US Open, but no one will ever forget his emotional performance at this slam.

“I can lose the match but I will never forget this. It’s bigger than winning any match,” said del Potro, tearfully, after receiving a standing ovation. “I’m so proud to get that from the crowd because I’ve been doing a big effort to play tennis again. They made me so happy tonight.”

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