LONDRES (AP) — Lejos de amilanarse por una descorazonadora derrota, Juan Martín del Potro tuvo la fortaleza para buscar el premio de consuelo.

El argentino no renunció y el domingo logró el bronce olímpico en el torneo de tenis masculino para darle a su país la primera medalla en los Juegos de Londres.

Del Potro se impuso al serbio Novak Djokovic, número dos del mundo, por 7-5, 6-4.

El argentino supo reponerse al purísimo duelo de semifinales contra el suizo Roger Federer, en el que perdió en un tercer set interminable por 19-17.

"Es un triunfo grande, no sé si histórico, pero va a quedar para siempre", explicó. "Particularmente difícil de contar cómo me recuperé de mi tristeza contra Federer y poder enfrentar a uno de los mejores del mundo".

Del Potro había ganado sólo una vez en cinco enfrentamientos previos con Djokovic, y eso fue en las semifinales de la Copa Davis de 2011, con el serbio retirándose en el segundo set por lesión.

"Los jugadores de tenis no están acostumbrados a perder y mantenerse en el torneo", comentó Martín Jaite, el capitán del equipo argentino de Copa Davis. "Es muy difícil volver a concentrarse una vez que perdieron, y de la manera que perdió Juan. Pero ha demostrado que es un grande y por suerte se llevó una medalla recontra merecida".

Fue la primera medalla de la historia del tenis argentino en singles masculino y la cuarta en el computo total del país en la disciplina tras la plata de Gabriela Sabatini en sencillos (Seúl 1988) y los ganados por los doblistas Javier Frana-Cristian Miniussi (Barcelona 1992) y Paola Suárez-Patricia Tarabini (Atenas 2004).

"Es espectacular este momento", dijo Del Potro. "Es muy importante lo que conseguí para el país, más que para mí y estoy muy feliz".

Djokovic, bronce en Beijing 2008, no pudo repetir metal en el césped de Wimbledon.

La suerte del primer set pudo cambiarla el llanto de un bebé. El partido discurrió muy igualado con poco juego y mucho dominio de los servicios. Con 5-4 para el serbio y 15-30 a su favor cuando sacaba Del Potro, un niño rompió a llorar en mitad de un intenso peloteo y Djokovic pareció perder la concentración y erró una derecha aparentemente sencilla.

De buen humor, se ofreció a acunar al bebé, que abandonó la cancha en brazos de su padre y entre los aplausos del público.

Más allá de la anécdota, el serbio encadenó en ese momento varios errores, comenzó a quejarse airadamente de sus fallos, dedicó varios de sus habituales aspavientos y gritos de desaprobación y Del Potro consiguió quebrar en el undécimo game y disponer de servicio para anotarse la manga.

Fue el mejor game del partido, en el que el argentino consiguió llevarse el set a la tercera oportunidad gracias a un excelente servicio sobre los 200 kilómetros por hora que Djokovic no pudo devolver.

El segundo set mantuvo la misma tónica. Con un Djokovic errático, Del Potro quebró en el tercer game. En el octavo, Djokovic dispuso de una opción de quebrar para meterse de vuelta en el partido, pero Del Potro salvó el peligro con una grandiosa derecha a la línea, un potente servicio y otra derecha cruzada sobre el revés de Djokovic inalcanzable para el serbio.

Del Potro mató el partido con un potente primer servicio y se derrumbó sobre el césped para celebrar el triunfo envuelto en la bandera de Argentina.

No supo encontrar una respuesta cuando le preguntaron si el podio en compañía con el británico Andy Murray, dueño del oro tras vencer a Federer, supera la gloria de su consagración en el Abierto de Estados Unidos 2009.

"Es especial, no sé si más que el US Open", señaló. "En realidad no hay muchas palabras para explicar esto".

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