LONDON: Juan Martin del Potro provided some encouragement for the rest of the chasing pack in the men’s game at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
Apart from single triumphs by the Argentine and Britain’s Andy Murray, the trio of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic have won every one of the last 33 slams.
The Argentine, who reached the second round with a 6-2 7-5 6-1 victory over Spain’s Albert Ramos, is in a group of players always waiting to capitalize on slip-ups by the triumvirate.
Nadal has already tumbled at the All England club, suffering a shock first-round loss to Steve Darcis on Monday, which spells good news for the cluster of ‘best of the rest’ players.
Murray, who has reached three of the last four grand slam finals, has also opened up a gap with the chasing pack.
“All the players can beat the top 10 players, the top four, the top five,” said Del Potro, whose 2009 U.S. Open victory and Murray’s 2012 win at the same tournament are the only times a non-‘Big Three’ name has won a major since 2005.
“I knew after three or four years they win every grand slam, the same players… It’s really difficult (to) break that name on the big tournaments,” he told a news conference.
“But, of course, I’m trying. I like to play the grand slams. They are (the) longest tournaments, and you can play maybe a bad match and survive and that gives confidence for the next rounds. In the grand slam during 15 days, everything can happen.”
Del Potro, who missed the French Open because of a virus, will face Canadian Jesse Levine in the second round after shaking off the rust to beat left-handed Ramos. (Agencies)