The seventh-seeded Roddick rallied to beat Gonzalez 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 and advance to the quarterfinals at the season’s first major for the sixth time in eight years. He’ll next meet No. 14 Marin Cilic, who ousted del Potro in five sets and 4-hours, 38-minutes earlier in the evening.
“I got a little lucky tonight, but sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” said Roddick, who is hoping to end a Grand Slam title drought that dates back to the 2003 U.S. Open.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad hereDel Potro had an upset win over top-ranked Roger Federer in the U.S. Open final last September, ending the Swiss star’s streak of five straight titles in New York.
The 21-year-old Argentine was the first man since Novak Djokovic won the 2008 Australian Open to interrupt the Federer-Rafael Nadal domination of men’s Grand Slam titles, and started the season’s first major seeded fourth.
The other leading men are still here.
Defending champion Nadal and Andy Murray held off two of the tallest men and biggest servers in tennis earlier on Rod Laver Arena to set up a quarterfinal match up.
Nadal, who beat Federer in the 2009 final, had a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over 6-foot-10 Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, the tallest man on the tour.
No. 5 Murray overcame 6-foot-9 American John Isner 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2 to reach the final eight in Australia for the first time. The 22-year-old Scot hasn’t dropped a set in four matches.
No. 1 Federer and No. 3 Djokovic play their fourth-round matches Monday.
Former No. 1 Roddick looked out of it with the Chilean on a roll, leading by two sets to one and only a point from forcing a tiebreaker that would have been a lottery between the two big servers.
But the American won five straight points to level the sets at 2-all and broke early in the fifth to dictate the ending.
“When Fernando gets hot, you know that a lot of the match is out of your control,” Roddick said. “I think the thing that helped me was being able to serve through.”
Gonzalez saved four set points in the 10th game of the fourth set. After Gonzalez led 40-0 on serve, Roddick then won four straight points to get another set point.
He clinched it with a forehand down the line, which a line umpire initially ruled out.
Roddick asked for a video replay, which showed the ball hit the line. The set was awarded to the American, amid protests from Gonzalez that he could have had a play on the ball but stopped when he heard the out call.
Gonzalez then kicked two drink bottles near the player’s chair. The booming forehands that troubled Roddick earlier then started to wilt and, after saving two match points, the Chilean double-faulted to end the match.
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