It was improbable.

del Potro had just beaten Murray and Djokovic, but it took 3 sets each to do it, on back to back days.  And Sunday was hot.  When Nadal rushed to a 3-0 lead off high loopers and sharp angles, del Potro looked like he had nothing to repel the Spaniard’s attack.

Then, del Potro held a game.  And the world number 5 began to lose control of his forehand.  Into the net.  Out wide.  Out deep.  del Potro would win 5 of the next 6 games to claim the first set, then get out to a break in the second.

Finally, Nadal must have said enough is enough and began to stay in rallies longer, not give away free points. del Potro did what he could, hitting big forehands, try to stay in points, but with a steadier Nadal playing the tennis that got him to the finals, Nadal took the second set, 6-3, then got up a break in the third set, and kept the break lead (almost threatening a second break before del Potro dug deep and held) to take the third set, 6-4.

Ultimately, keeping up with Rafa’s grinding style was too much for del Potro, though he nearly won if Rafa hadn’t righted the ship.  Still, this bodes well for del Potro.  He seems close to being able to beat the big 4, and that could make him the next guy to be in the big 4 evicting who knows whom?

With that, Nadal moves into the lead with 22 Masters 1000 titles, one ahead of Roger Federer.

Like Roger, Nadal is choosing to skip Miami, again, as precaution to save his knees as he heads over to play clay, then grass, then who knows what.

Nadal edges ahead of Ferrer to regain number 4, but he has a ton of points to defend including titles at Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Rome, as well as, of course, the French Open.  That’s just to keep himself at number 4.  Of course, he has nothing to defend after Wimbledon and even Wimbledon, he lost in the second round, so he can certainly gain points again.