BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- After winning the U.S. Open, Juan Martin Del Potro has another goal.
"My dream is to be No. 1, but it will be a long road," he said yesterday at a news conference after arriving in Argentina. "Today, there are players much better than me."
Del Potro was greeted at the Buenos Aries airport by chants of "Ole, Ole" and "Del Pooo, Del Pooo," the kind of revelry usually reserved for Argentine soccer stars. Reporters and TV cameras jostled for space as he signed autographs, never losing his smile despite the mayhem.
Del Potro is ranked No. 5, behind top-ranked Roger Federer, whom he beat in Monday's U.S. Open final. Del Potro's upset victory -- 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 -- has boosted morale in Argentina, where the national soccer team is struggling to make next year's World Cup in South Africa. Argentina last missed qualifying in 1970.
The highlight of his arrival in Argentina was expected to come when he returns to his hometown of Tandil, about 350 kilometres south of Buenos Aires. The city of 100,000 was expected to hold a parade in his honour. Del Potro will be designated the official "sports ambassador" and receive a key to the city.
Asked to recall his victory over Federer, Del Potro just smiled.
"I still don't understand a thing," he said. "I haven't had time to relax. I'm on automatic pilot."
Del Potro was the first Argentine man to win the U.S. Open since Guillermo Vilas in 1977.
"There were critical moments when I thought I would lose," he said. "On the other hand, I thought I had nothing to lose. It was Federer's 21st (Grand Slam) final and my first. I just kept running until the final point."
The 20-year-old said he didn't think the victory would change him.
"I'm not going to change who I am," he said. "I've only fulfilled a big dream I had, but I'll still have the same friends. This is something important to keep my feet on the ground."
