Del Potro upsets Federer to win US Open title

Sweet victory: Juan Martin del Potro, of Argentina, kisses the championship trophy after winning the men's finals championship over Roger Federer, of Switzerland, at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, US. AP/Charles Krupa

Juan Martin del Potro has ended Roger Federer's run of dominance at the U.S. Open, stunning the top-ranked Swiss great in five sets to win in his first Grand Slam final.

The 20-year-old Argentine prevailed 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 on Monday to snap Federer's streak of five straight U.S. Open titles. The sixth-seeded del Potro had not beaten Federer in their six previous encounters

Federer had won 40 consecutive matches at Flushing Meadows. He was seeking to become the first man since Bill Tilden in 1920-25 to win the American championship six straight times and the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win three straight majors in a season.

Del Potro upset No. 3 Rafael Nadal in the semifinals in straight sets.

Normally so cool, so consistent, so in control of his emotions and his matches, Federer let the title slip from his grasp.

Two points from victory against inexperienced, unheralded del Potro, two points from a record-extending 16th Grand Slam overall, Federer, quite simply, fell apart.

He railed at the chair umpire. His legs grew weary. His double-faults mounted. He could not figure out a way to stop the 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) del Potro from pounding forehand after forehand past him. In a result as surprising for who lost as how it happened, del Potro came back to win his first Grand Slam title.