Del Potro beats Djokovic to take bronze

Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro won the Olympic bronze medal in the men's singles on Sunday after a 7-5, 6-4 win over world number two Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.

Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro won the Olympic bronze medal in the men's singles on Sunday after a 7-5, 6-4 win over world number two Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.

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Del Potro had left Centre Court in tears after losing to Roger Federer in the longest three-set men's singles match in the Open era on Friday, but the former US Open champion bounced back to win his first Olympic medal.

For Djokovic, a bronze medallist in Beijing four years ago, the defeat capped a disappointing grasscourt campaign that also saw the Serb lose to Federer in the Wimbledon semi-finals.

After a delayed start due to heavy rain on the uncovered Court One, Djokovic took a 3-2 lead in the first set before more showers forced another interruption.

When they returned an hour later, del Potro, who spent four hours and 26 minutes labouring in vain to beat Federer in the semis, clinched the first break of the set at 5-5 and then saved two break points in the next game to hold serve and take the lead.

Del Potro was matching Djokovic blow for blow from the baseline and he broke again to move 2-1 ahead in the second set before clinching the bronze in one hour and 48 minutes.